Black Caucus Members Line Up to Help Oust Rep. Shri Thanedar

It’s a rare instance of members trying to kick out an incumbent from their own party.

Shri Thanedar
Black Democrats in Michigan and on Capitol Hill want to see one of Detroit’s congressional seats held by a Black lawmaker. Michael Buck/Wood-TV8 via AP

Senior members of the Congressional Black Caucus have thrown their support behind Rep. Shri Thanedar’s primary challenger, a rare instance of sitting Democrats trying to oust one of their own.

Reps. Steven Horsford, current CBC chair, and Joyce Beatty, the group’s former chair, both announced on Friday that they would back Adam Hollier, a Black politician, over Thanedar, a first-term lawmaker and the first Indian American to represent Michigan in Congress.

Democrats in Michigan have been working to oust Thanedar. Now, sitting lawmakers in the CBC are throwing their weight behind that effort. In a statement, Horsford described Hollier as “the kind of leader who understands the importance of protecting our freedoms, fighting for our rights and ensuring opportunities for everyone.”