State Rep. Donavan McKinney enters race for 13th Congressional District seat

Democratic state lawmaker Donavan McKinney announced this week his intentions to run against Congressman Shri Thanedar in the 13th District primary election next year.

McKinney, 32, grew up in the district on Detroit’s east side and is the second person to join the race, alongside former state Rep. Adam Hollier. 

He was first elected to the Michigan House in 2022 as a representative for the state's 14th district. He was reelected in the 11th House District last year, after district lines were redrawn. 

Metro Producer Sam Corey spoke with McKinney on the heels of his Congressional bid announcement to discuss his campaign priorities, which include advocating for clean air, clean water, and economic security.

Fact check: During the conversation, McKinney said the 13th District is the second poorest in the country. WDET couldn’t confirm that, but it is among the poorest districts in the nation. The Commercial Driver License law McKinney helped pass will also likely impact about one million Michiganders, not two million as he mentioned. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

"The Metro" covers local and regional news and current affairs, arts and cultural events and topics, with a commitment to airing perspectives and uncovering stories underreported by mainstream media in Detroit.