Steve Neavling
Former state Sen. Adam Hollier, D-Detroit, is running for a congressional seat held by Shri Thanedar.
Former state Sen. Adam Hollier on Monday launched a Democratic primary challenge against U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, renewing his bid for the 13th Congressional District seat that represents Detroit.
This marks Hollier’s third campaign for the seat since 2022. He previously served in the Michigan Senate and led the state’s Veterans Affairs Agency under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
“From housing to daycare costs to the rising costs of everything from groceries to the brakes on our cars, we’re in a real crisis in this country,” Hollier said in a statement. “We need bold solutions and leaders who won’t back down in the face of this challenge.”
Thanedar, a multimillionaire businessman, was elected in 2022 and has largely self-funded his campaigns, giving him a significant financial edge. Thanedar has also faced criticism for spending public money on self-promotion, including office decor featuring large portraits of himself.
“The last thing we need are more millionaires and billionaires like Elon Musk and Shri Thanedar who are only in it for themselves,” Hollier said.
He added, “While everyday Michiganders are struggling, Shri Thanedar is spending hundreds of thousands of their hard-earned tax dollars putting up self-portraits of himself all over the district. That’s something only Donald Trump would be proud of.”
Hollier, who is Black, previously earned the backing of the Congressional Black Caucus and other Detroit leaders during his 2022 run, where he came in second to Thanedear in a crowded primary. He did not make the 2024 ballot after his campaign was disqualified over fraudulent petition signatures.
A Detroit native and Army Reserve officer, Hollier is positioning himself as a community-rooted alternative to Thanedar in a district that is more than 50% Black.
