Democrat Who Tried To Impeach Trump Defeated By Anti-Establishment Challenger

Democratic Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney defeated Democratic Michigan Rep. Shri Thanedar, securing another win for the Democrats’ anti-establishment wing.

McKinney is among several anti-establishment candidates who defeated incumbents backed by the party’s establishment in the 2026 election cycle. He defeated Thanedar in a 51.1% to 48.1% vote, results from The New York Times showed.

The further-left candidate received endorsements from independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley.

McKinney would represent Michigan’s 13th district, a deep-blue, heavily black-majority district that includes the city of Detroit and other parts of Wayne County, Michigan’s most populous county. The Congressional Black Caucus, including Omar and Nevada Rep. Steve Horsford, broke with the party’s establishment by endorsing McKinney over Thanedar.

“It’s not just about having Black representation, but that is a part of what appropriate representation looks for,” Democratic Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee told Politico. “You have a majority-Black district, and I think that there is certainly an appetite to see that again, or to at least make sure that a Black candidate has the opportunity to present themselves.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, the 13th Congressional District Democratic Party Organization and Democratic Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson endorsed Thanedar.

Thanedar’s victory in November 2022 marked the first time since 1955 that a black lawmaker did not represent Michigan’s 13th district, according