State Representative Donavan McKinney stood on Detroit’s northeast side as a child, witnessing firsthand the impact of housing insecurity, low wages, and inconsistent government support. His family moved more than a dozen times. His mother held multiple jobs to keep the lights on. That upbringing shaped how he approaches policy, accountability, and political service.
Now, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has endorsed McKinney for Congress in Michigan’s 13th District. The endorsement came just six weeks into McKinney’s campaign, making it the first public show of support in the race from a sitting U.S. Senator. The move signals Sanders’s alignment with McKinney’s legislative record and policy priorities in the Michigan House and reflects a broader coalition forming around McKinney’s campaign.
“I’m proud to support Donavan McKinney for Congress in Michigan’s 13th district. Donavan is exactly the type of leader we need in Washington right now,” said Sanders. “He understands the struggles working class communities are facing in Detroit and across the country because he’s lived those struggles himself. In the State Legislature, he has fought to get big money out of politics and taken on powerful special interests.”
Sanders emphasized McKinney’s record of advocacy on issues like the minimum wage, public housing investment, public school funding, and Medicare for All. He also highlighted McKinney’s background as a union leader and his alignment with labor organizing efforts.
“As a Member of Congress, Donavan will fight to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, fully fund our public schools, invest in public housing and support Medicare for All. A former union leader, he has dedicated his life to standing with working people, and is ready to lead the struggle against Donald Trump, the oligarchy, and the corporate interests who prioritize profits over people.”
McKinney acknowledged the endorsement as a powerful affirmation of his legislative values and lived experience, particularly as someone who came from working-class circumstances in Detroit.
“Senator Sanders has long been a progressive champion for working class Americans and I am honored to receive his endorsement,” McKinney said. “His political courage and his commitment to doing the right thing — even when it’s unpopular, even when it’s hard, even if he’s alone — are a true inspiration to me.”
McKinney reflected on his childhood in northeast Detroit, where federal programs like food assistance and after-school care provided needed support. He connected that experience to his call for federal policies that center equity and reflect the lived conditions of marginalized communities.
“When I was a child, my mother often had to work two to three jobs just to keep our lights on, and government programs like food stamps and free after-school care helped keep me fed and safe from the gun violence plaguing our community. I understand first-hand just how critical it is to have progressive, working class leaders pushing for federal government policies that truly uplift all people, not just the wealthy and well-connected,” he said. “Senator Sanders has been fighting that fight for decades, and I look forward to fighting alongside him for our community, and for working class communities nationwide in Washington.”
The campaign has attracted additional support from Justice Democrats, the national political group that helped elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Summer Lee, and Rashida Tlaib. The organization is known for backing progressive candidates who challenge incumbents and oppose corporate PAC contributions. McKinney’s inclusion among its endorsed candidates adds national organizing capacity to a race that has drawn increased attention.
Within six weeks of launching his campaign, McKinney has received endorsements from more than 30 public officials representing various levels of government across Michigan’s 13th District. That list includes Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, State Senators Darrin Camilleri, Mary Cavanaugh, Stephanie Chang, Veronica Klinefelt, Sylvia Santana, and Paul Wojno. Support also comes from State Representatives Stephanie Young, Erin Byrnes, Kimberly Edwards, Alabas Farhat, Peter Herzberg, Matt Koleszar, Tullio Liberati, Tonya Myers-Phillips, Veronica Paiz, Laurie Pohutsky, and Dylan Wegela.
Additional endorsements include former State Representatives Abraham Aiyash, Jaime Churches, and Alberta Tinsley-Talabi; Wayne County Commissioners Alex Garza, David Knezek, and Allen Wilson; as well as city leaders such as Wyandotte Mayor Pro Tempore Kelly Stec, Southgate City Councilwomen Victoria Araj and Priscilla Ayres-Reiss, and Dearborn Heights City Councilwoman Nancy Bryer. Support also extends to Allen Park Councilman Gary Schlack, Wyandotte Councilman Chris Calvin, and community advocates such as Pastor Sterling H. Brewer and Wayne-Westland School Board Member At-Large Melandie Hines.
McKinney currently serves as State Representative for Michigan’s 11th District, covering parts of Wayne and Macomb Counties. He was first elected in 2022 and re-elected in 2024. When he won his seat, he became one of the first two Black leaders to represent Macomb County in the Michigan Legislature. Prior to holding office, he was a member and leader in SEIU Healthcare Michigan, the state’s largest healthcare union.
In 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed McKinney to Michigan’s first Environmental Justice Council, where he played a role in shaping the $2 million Water Restart Grant Program and the state’s Water Reconnection Executive Order during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. These policy efforts aimed to ensure equitable access to clean water and utilities during a public health emergency.
McKinney is a graduate of Detroit Public Schools and the first college graduate in his immediate family. He lives in Detroit with his wife Shaunté and their two children.
The contrast between McKinney and the incumbent, Shri Thanedar, has become a defining feature of the campaign. Thanedar, a multimillionaire and self-funded candidate, has spent over $17 million of his personal wealth on Congressional campaigns since 2021. Recent records show he reimbursed himself nearly half a million dollars from House funds, while over half of his 2024 campaign expenditures went toward advertising and printed materials. That percentage significantly exceeds the 5% national average for House members.
Critics have pointed to Thanedar’s self-promotion spending and lack of responsiveness to constituents as key concerns. His office has faced allegations of poor service delivery, and his campaign finance records show contributions from corporate PACs, including entities connected to the pharmaceutical industry, defense contractors, and utility providers such as DTE Energy. These connections have drawn scrutiny in a district where residents face persistent energy shutoffs and affordability challenges.
As the campaign enters its next phase, voters in Michigan’s 13th District will evaluate competing approaches to representation, community engagement, and policy leadership. The Sanders endorsement adds national momentum to McKinney’s grassroots efforts but also intensifies the stakes. The district, encompassing parts of Detroit and surrounding cities, has a long history of civic activism and political scrutiny — voters often demand more than just party affiliation.
McKinney’s campaign focuses on federal investments in education, housing, labor rights, environmental justice, and health care. His platform emphasizes removing corporate money from politics, expanding protections for working families, and increasing access to public services that historically underinvested communities depend on.
The race for MI-13 is expected to continue drawing attention as more residents, organizers, and policymakers weigh in. Whether national endorsements influence local outcomes remains to be seen, but the framing of this contest has shifted. The endorsements and critiques are now on public record, and the voters will determine how they respond.
For McKinney, this campaign is an opportunity to advance the policies that shaped his own survival. For Sanders, it’s about sending someone to Congress who has already shown up for the people before ever stepping into Washington. For Detroit and its surrounding communities, the next member of Congress will have to earn trust beyond endorsements — by listening, showing up, and remaining accountable long after the votes are counted.
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