The recent ruling by Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett to keep former state Sen. Adam Hollier off the ballot has caused disappointment among his supporters in Detroit, who had hoped he would unseat U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar in Michigan’s August primary. Hollier had submitted 1,550 signatures to meet the ballot requirement, but close to half of them were deemed invalid by Wayne County election staff. This decision could leave Detroit without Black representation in Congress for the second consecutive term, as the city is nearly 80% Black.
The ruling is a significant boost for Thanedar’s reelection bid and a setback for Detroit’s Black community, who had rallied around Hollier, a Black candidate. Thanedar previously won the Democratic primary in 2022, leaving Detroit without Black representation in Congress for the first time since the early 1950s. With Hollier off the ballot, the support from Detroit’s Black community may potentially shift to other candidates such as Mary Waters, a former state House member, and Shakira Lynn Hawkins, an attorney, who are also running in the Democratic primary.
Hollier had the support of faith leaders in Detroit, high-profile Michigan Democrats, and even the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus. His disqualification from the ballot has brought attention to the importance of Black representation in Congress for Detroit residents and Democrats in general. The race for the Democratic nomination is now expected to be dominated by Thanedar, who has a significant cash advantage over his opponents, particularly Waters, close to the absentee ballot distribution date.
The controversy surrounding signature fraud has not been without precedent in Michigan politics, as evidenced by the case of five Republicans being kept off the ballot for governor two years ago. Hollier has admitted that fraudulent signatures were submitted by someone who let his campaign down. Despite Hollier’s accusations of disenfranchisement by Thanedar, the latter maintains that all candidates must adhere to the rules of getting on the ballot to maintain the integrity of the election process. Thanedar’s staunch support for Israel in the conflict with Hamas has also led to criticism from constituents in his district, particularly those from the Arab American population.
The disagreements over the Israel-Hamas conflict have also fueled tensions between Thanedar and U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who criticized him for being too preoccupied with social media instead of delivering results for his constituents. His endorsement from Ohio U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty highlighted his active engagement in delivering outcomes rather than just posting on social media. The upcoming Democratic primary in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District is set to be a critical race with significant implications for Detroit’s Black community and the future of representation in Congress for the city.
