RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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State Rep. Donavan McKinney bested two-term incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar in Tuesday's Democratic primary to represent Michigan's 13th Congressional District.
Why it matters: The lifelong Detroiter's win likely returns Detroit to Black representation in Congress, which ended with Thanedar's 2022 victory.
It also brings another victory for a progressive-backed candidate.
McKinney won by a slim 51.9% to 48.1%, with the race called late Wednesday morning by AP .
State of play: Thanedar had the advantage on funding and name recognition . However, mainstream House Democrats didn't seem as concerned about him losing to a progressive challenger as in other races, Axios' Andrew Solender report s .
Yes, but: McKinney still needs to win in November to head to Congress, but defeat is unlikely in the heavily blue district.
The district includes most of Detroit and extends westward past Taylor.
Between the lines: Both candidates campaigned against Trump, criticized ICE and supported expanding access to health care.
Thanedar, a wealthy businessman who largely self-funds his campaigns, was backed by AIPAC, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and both the Congressional Progressive Caucus and center-left New Democrat Coalition.
But McKinney won the endorsement of local institutions like the Michigan Chronicle and labor groups, as well as national-level progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Rashida Tlaib and former Rep. Brenda Lawrence.
The bottom line: The race was more nuanced than representing the ideological divisions in the Democratic Party.
Factors at play included McKinney's deep connections to Detroit, state legislative record, questions about Thanedar's effectiveness and the prospect of restoring Detroit's Black representation in Congress.
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