DETROIT (Diya TV) – U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar triumphed over Detroit City Council member Mary Waters in a hotly contested Democratic primary for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. Thanedar secured approximately 54% of the vote with 83% of the votes counted, leaving Waters with 34% and former city employee Shakira Hawkins with 11%.
Thanedar’s victory, marked by a substantial financial advantage, likely ensures the Indian American congressman will get a second term serving Detroit in this Democratic stronghold.
Detroit is nearly 80% Black, but Thanedar has been able to message effectively to win over African American constituents
In victory, Thanedar highlighted his office’s accomplishments, including closing over 1,800 constituent cases and securing $15 million for community projects. “People don’t care whether their problem is a federal problem or a state problem or a local problem,” said Thanedar. “They want it to be solved. And my team is very focused on it.”
Thanedar’s campaign significantly outspent Waters and Hawkins. He loaned $1.45 million to his campaign, amassing $5.1 million in cash on hand, according to campaign finance reports. Waters did not submit a fundraising disclosure, and Hawkins reported raising only $250 in the second quarter.
One of the campaign’s controversies centered around Thanedar’s use of taxpayer money for advertisements publicizing his office’s work. The Detroit News reported he spent more on such ads last year than any other member of Congress. Waters filed an ethics complaint, arguing this spending was thinly veiled political advertising. Thanedar defended the expenditures, stating they educated voters about his office, resulting in a 90% increase in constituent cases.
Waters’ campaign faced significant challenges, including attack ads from Thanedar’s campaign and an outside group. These ads highlighted her 2007 involvement in a bribery scheme, for which she pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return. Despite this, Waters maintained that the district needs Black representation and criticized Thanedar for not connecting with constituents.
Thanedar will now face Republican Martell Bivings in November’s general election. Bivings, a former business liaison with the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., ran uncontested in the Republican primary. The winner will represent Detroit, the Grosse Pointes, and part of Downriver in Congress.
As the campaign moves forward, Thanedar aims to shift focus from the primary’s controversies to addressing the district’s needs, including economic disparity and health care costs.
