The infamous Shri Thanedar is defeated in primary race, possibly by someone worse
By Easton Martin | August 5, 2026
Two-term incumbent U.S. Representative Shri Thanedar has lost the Democratic primary for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, suffering a defeat at the hands of state Representative Donavan McKinney.
The race in the Detroit-area district concluded after vote tallies showed McKinney securing approximately 52 percent of the vote. With the district leaning heavily Democratic, McKinney enters the November midterm election as the favorite against Republican nominee Taras Nykoriak.
Thanedar, a businessman who self-funded his early political campaigns, first entered Congress in 2022. His political career has frequently faced criticism regarding a former pharmaceutical testing laboratory he owned. He was involved in a 2010 incident where dozens of research beagles and other laboratory animals were left trapped in a bankrupt facility after the business was placed into receivership. This is perhaps what Thanedar will be remembered most for, no matter how many times he denies responsibility.
McKinney mounted a campaign from the left that drew strong backing from progressive groups, including the Democratic Socialists of America, as well as high-profile endorsements from U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Rashida Tlaib. Running on a platform that prioritized a Green New Deal, universal healthcare, and the elimination of corporate political contributions, McKinney successfully encouraged voters across the Wayne County district.
