Rep. Shri Thanedar defeats Detroit councilwoman Mary Waters in 13th Congressional primary
Thanedar will face off against Republican Martell Bivings in November’s general election to represent the Detroit-area district.
Shri Thanedar greets residents at a senior appreciation day outside Detroit’s Aretha Franklin auditorium
U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar defeated Detroit City Council member Mary Waters in the Democratic primary for the Detroit area’s 13th Congressional District.
Waters, who had been endorsed by Mayor Mike Duggan, argued during her campaign that the district should have a Black representative as it did for decades.
“I have never ever seen so many people who were unhappy with representation,” said Waters. “Nobody, not one person said to me, not then or now that they were satisfied with the representation that they were receiving.”
Throughout the campaign, Duggan has also said that Thanedar has not done enough for the district. But Thanedar says his team has closed more than 1,800 constituent cases successfully.
“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 held a major cash advantage over Waters, running several campaign ads on television, and his win likely leaves Detroit — a city that is nearly 80% Black — without Black representation in Congress for a second consecutive term.
But Thanedar, who was born in India, says when he speaks to residents, their main concern is not his ethnicity…but how he can help his constituents.
“It’s not about who I am, my race, my skin color. For them it is someone that will help them,” he said. “Whether to close the economic gap, whether to create those skill sets so they can get a good paying job, whether someone who can lower health care costs.”
However, Waters maintains that constituents have not been happy with the Congressman’s performance in office.
“Had you been doing your job the community would be able to connect with you, they would know who you are,” she said. “Had you been providing constituent services like you were supposed to there would be no need to spend that kind of money against a candidate who barely raised $150,000.”
Thanedar was first elected to Congress in 2022. He’ll face Republican Martell Bivings —who ran uncontested — in November’s general election.
Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
