McKinney, Nykoriak face off in Michigan's 13th District to replace Thanedar
Democratic state Rep. Donavan McKinney and Republican T.P. Nykoriak are vying to represent Michigan's 13th Congressional District, a seat Democrats have held since 1949.
Third-party candidates Raelyn Light (Green Party), Chris Dardzinski (U.S. Taxpayers Party) and Simone R. Coleman (Working Class Party) are also vying for the seat.
The winner will replace Rep. Shri Thanedar, who McKinney successfully primaried in August, ending Thanedar's stay in the House after two terms. It is one of three House races in Michigan guaranteed to send a new face to Washington, D.C., in January.
Howard Coffin was the last Republican elected to the seat, serving one term from 1947 to 1949.
The district is composed of Allen Park, Ecorse, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Woods, Hamtramck, Harper Woods, Highland Park, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, River Rouge, Romulus, Southgate, Taylor, Wayne and Wyandotte, as well as portions of Dearborn Heights, Detroit and Grosse Pointe Shores.
The candidates
McKinney is a lifelong Detroiter who was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2022 and currently represents the 11th District in the state House. A product of Detroit Public Schools, McKinney graduated from the University of Michigan in 2014 before pursuing a career in organizing and public service.
Leading up to August's primary election, McKinney received high-profile endorsements from congressional progressives, including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and former U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence. His primary win almost assures that Detroit will have its first Black representative in Congress since 2022, the Associated Press reported.
Nykoriak ran as a write-in candidate for the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners in 2025. He also ran for Wayne County sheriff in 2024 and previously for a seat on the Wayne County Commission.
Key issues
McKinney's campaign focuses on putting workers first and restoring Black representation in Detroit. His platform has goals of reducing income inequality through taxing the ultra-wealthy, transitioning to clean energy and investing in public schools. McKinney supports Medicare for All.
McKinney is also prioritizing reducing corporate influence in politics, codifying abortion rights at the federal level and ending military aid to Israel.
Nykoriak's campaign is focused on government accountability and strengthening congressional oversight, protecting people's access to quality health care, including Medicare and Medicaid, decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level and ending qualified immunity for federal officers who knowingly violate constitutional rights.