McKinney ousts incumbent Thanedar in Detroit-area congressional primary

Detroit poised to send first Black representative to Congress since 2022

State Rep. Donavan McKinney defeated incumbent Shri Thanedar in the primary for the congressional district representing Detroit, the Associated Press reported.

McKinney’s victory nearly guarantees that Detroit, a majority-Black city, will regain Black representation in the U.S. House. He will face Republican Taras Nykoriak in November in a district that votes heavily Democratic.

On Tuesday afternoon, voter Michael Fuqua cast his ballot for McKinney, though he initially struggled to recall the candidate’s name. “Dillinger. I think it was Daniel,” Fuqua said. Speaking outside Henry Ford High School on Detroit’s northwest side, he was direct about his opposition to the incumbent. “Not Shri, definitely not him,” Fuqua said.

McKinney, speaking to reporters Wednesday, framed the result in terms of Detroit’s significance. “This is a very diverse district, but it encompasses the Blackest major city in all of America,” McKinney said. “We cannot forget what Detroit means, not only to our city and our state, but to the world.”