Progressive Democrats endorse Donavan McKinney against Shri Thanedar

Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) have endorsed Michigan state Representative Donavan McKinney in his Democratic primary challenge against Representative Shri Thanedar, breaking with senior party leaders who back the incumbent.

According to POLITICO, Representatives Steven Horsford, Lateefah Simon, Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley announced their support for McKinney.

Pressley said: "We need Donavan in Congress."

The endorsements mark a rare move, as sitting members of the same party seldom campaign against an incumbent colleague.

McKinney is seeking to unseat Thanedar, who was first elected to Congress in 2022 and has the backing of House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar.

Speaking to POLITICO, Representative Summer Lee, who had already endorsed McKinney, said: "It’s not just about having Black representation, but that is a part of what appropriate representation looks for."

Thanedar defended his record, telling POLITICO: "I am fully aware that I am representing the Blackest city in America and I’m proud of it."

McKinney welcomed the endorsements, saying he was "honoured" to have the support of CBC members and looked forward to working with them on issues including voting rights and campaign finance reform if elected.