COME TOGETHER
An interesting – and unusual – phenomenon is occurring in the 2024 race for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District – which was won in 2022 by the “telegenic” newcomer Shri Thanedar. An Indian American, Thanedar’s win represents the first time in 67 years that the city of Detroit no longer has an African American representing it in Congress. Further, some staffers have claimed Thanedar is less interested in governing than in running for the office. The district – covering Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck, the Grosse Pointes, and downriver – has a new strong favorite receiving a plethora of endorsements almost a year before the election – former state Senator Adam Hollier, who narrowly lost to Thanedar in 2022 in a nine-way contest which split the Black vote in the primary. Now, Democratic power players want to avoid that occurring by making sure Hollier gets their anointment – and the contest is just between Hollier and Thanedar. Former Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence – who previously represented Detroit – Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate of Detroit, and state Senator Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak, Birmingham, Detroit), as well as other local leaders and clergy have signed up early to endorse Hollier. “We all know that the only way we will win this race and bring real change to Washington is by standing united, from the outset. Division will only help to preserve the status quo — and we simply can’t afford that,” about 40 leaders wrote to Democratic voters. However, seems John Conyers III, son of the late Congressman John Conyers II, who was the longest serving Black member in Congress, doesn’t want to play nice. He’s registered his campaign with the FEC and is out raising money to run. And Mary Walters, council member of Detroit, has been out getting signatures to run in the district. We’ll see what unity looks like in August.