CBC splits with leadership to back McKinney against Thanedar in Michigan primary

A handful of Congressional Black Caucus members broke with House leadership to endorse Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney in his bid to primary Rep. Shri Thanedar, signaling a rare clash between the party establishment and its progressive wing. Reps. Steven Horsford, Lateefah Simon, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley praised McKinney as a fighter and urged support, while Thanedar — the incumbent first elected in 2022 with establishment backing — defended his record and CBC ties. The endorsement surge underscores the ongoing intra-party struggle over representation and leadership ahead of upcoming primaries, and the piece includes corrections noting Omar’s Minnesota origin and a misspelling of Bennie Thompson’s name.