DETROIT, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – 70-year-old U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar – Detroit’s Democratic millionaire-turned-U.S. congressman – is facing a primary challenge from two Black Democrats who want to restore Black representation to Detroit.

Challenging Thanedar is not just about policy differences; it’s about representation, authenticity, and a community demanding its voice back from this incumbent who won his seat in a nine-way primary in 2022 with only 28.3% of the votes. According to the Associated Press, that victory in Detroit, as well as his re-election in 2022 – in a city that is 80% Black – left the community without Black congressional representation for the first time in over 70 years.

MORE NEWS: DOJ Sues Michigan to Stop Nessel’s Planned Climate Lawsuit Against Big Oil

State Rep. Donavan McKinney, 32, of Detroit, has entered the race for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, joining 39-year-old former state Senator and U.S. Army veteran Adam Hollier. Hollier had planned to challenge incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar in 2024 but was knocked off the ballot after failing to submit enough valid signatures – a discovery sparked by a challenge from Thanedar. Hollier’s attorney slammed the outcome as “voter suppression” at the time. Hollier is currently campaigning on issues like lead pipe removal, boosting literacy in Detroit schools, and creating a Black equity fund.

Justice Democrats back McKinney as a working-class alternative to millionaire Rep. Thanedar.

McKinney boasts a compelling narrative: born into a working-class home that faced poverty and eviction, he was first in his family to gain a college degree. McKinney is backed by the Justice Democrats, the group that propelled NY Rep. and progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to national prominence. The Justice Democrats group is looking to elect a new generation of progressive leaders and McKinney is positioning himself as the antithesis of millionaire Thanedar’s self-funded campaigns.

In a statement, McKinney said, “I am so proud to have the endorsement and support of Justice Democrats in our campaign to bring working class leadership back to the mighty 13th.”

Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats, said about their support for McKinney, “Democratic voters in the face of unprecedented attacks on our livelihoods and liberties are fed up with a Democratic Party overrun by do-nothing career politicians who are totally unequipped to lead in this moment. Donavan represents the future the Democratic Party should be fighting for: working- class people taking our power back from multimillionaires to deliver for everyday people.”

The battle lines: grassroots vs. greenbacks.

Thanedar, who secured his seat in 2022 with a mere 28.3% because of a crowded primary, has often been criticized for his lack of deep roots in the community he represents.

McKinney’s campaign is tapping into this sentiment, emphasizing his lived experience and commitment to the community and his lack of resources that Thanedar, a wealthy former state representative and immigrant from India, has access to.

MORE NEWS: Trump EO Cuts Off Gravy Train for NPR, PBS

McKinney said, “I’m not running for Congress because I’m a millionaire or a billionaire. I’m running because I’m not. I’m running because our community deserves to have someone fighting back against the Trump-Musk administration who knows our struggles of housing insecurity, of wages that haven’t kept up with the cost of living, of environmental racism, and more – someone who has lived those struggles, and will fight for us with the urgency that this moment demands.”

Justice Democrats: betting on a new generation.

The Justice Democrats’ endorsement of McKinney signals a strategic move to rejuvenate their influence after recent setbacks. With prominent members they supported in the past like progressive “Squad” members Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush losing their primaries, the group is eager to demonstrate that progressive, grassroots candidates can still unseat establishment figures.

Thanedar, for his part, seems to be unfazed by his competition, framing his challengers as inexperienced. In a statement to the Associated Press, Thanedar said, “Voters have a choice between my bold, strong and proven leadership or Hollier’s incompetence, or McKinney’s inexperience.”

Challenges ahead for Thanedar.

Thanedar is currently facing his own challenges, however, including a recent accusation by far-right commentator Laura Loomer who is blasting Rep. Thanedar, pointing to FEC records showing his campaign is showing -$730,313.81. Loomer also highlighted a mysterious $1.2 million “investment income loss” dated February 28, 2025, with Thanedar himself listed as the recipient.

Michigan News Source reached out to Thanedar to get answers on the debt and the investment income loss but he did not return our request for comment.

Thanedar tries to impeach the president – again.

Thanedar has also made headlines recently by filing seven articles of impeachment against President Trump, accusing him of everything from the deportation of a gang member to El Salvador to slapping on “damaging” tariffs.

The president, who was in Warren, Michigan on Tuesday to celebrate what he called the “most successful first 100 days” of any administration, called Thanedar a “lunatic.” The president said during his speech, “Here we go again. They (Democrats) want to impeach me, this lunatic. This lunatic is up, actually, I had the television way down. And I said to our great first lady, listen, did I just hear I was being impeached again? We’re getting good at this though.”

The road ahead: a test for democratic values.

As the 2026 primary approaches, Michigan’s 13th District is poised to become a battleground for the soul of the Democratic Party. Will the constituents favor Thanedar’s financial prowess and incumbency, or will they rally behind Hollier – or McKinney’s grassroots campaign and call for authentic representation?