US Rep. Shri Thanedar has massive cash advantage over challenger Adam Hollier

U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit, has a massive cash advantage over his challenger Adam Hollier in the 13th congressional district Democratic primary.

Thanedar ended last year with more than $2.6 million cash on hand compared to Hollier's more than $400,000, according to campaign finance reports filed Wednesday night. Thanedar — a millionaire entrepreneur — gave his campaign a big boost with a $2.15 million personal loan to his re-election bid.

Hollier's campaign pointed to the self-funding as an indication Thanedar's campaign is in peril while highlighting that Hollier brought in nearly $200,000 more from individual contributors than Thanedar in the fourth quarter last year.

"Thanedar's support was so weak that he was forced to lend himself $2 million dollars to keep his campaign afloat," Hollier's campaign said in an email Thursday.

Thanedar's campaign, meanwhile, said celebrated its "robust financial position," citing its cash on hand heading into 2024. "I am confident we will have the resources to effectively communicate our accomplishments to the voters of the 13th district and ask that they continue to put their trust in my representation of the district," Thanedar said in a statement included in an email his campaign sent out last week sharing fundraising details in advance of the campaign finance filing deadline.

During his first primary fight against Thanedar, the pro-Israel lobby buoyed Hollier's campaign. In 2022, a political action committee linked to the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent more than $2.7 million to support Hollier and more than $1.4 million to oppose Thanedar.

But the latest campaign finance reports show this time, AIPAC gave $10,000 to Thanedar and individual contributors earmarked more than $62,000 to Thanedar through AIPAC.

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Amid the Israel-Gaza war, Thanedar has voiced strong support for Israel, and quit the Democratic Socialists of America because he felt the group did not adequately denounce Hamas for its attack in Israel on Oct. 7 last year.

After pro-Palestinian demonstrators disrupted the 13th Congressional District Democrats' annual holiday gathering in a night that ended violently, Thanedar doubled down on his support for Israeli military actions. He blamed Hamas for the death of civilians in Gaza and argued there was no way "to eliminate Hamas without creating such unfortunate casualties."

Thanedar won the 2022 Democratic primary in the 13th district with 28% of the vote in a nine-candidate field. Heading into the race this time, Hollier has amassed support from elected and faith leaders who want to see Black representation restored in Congress after last year marked the first time the majority-Black city had no Black member of Congress for the first time in nearly 70 years. In a letter, they urged voters to rally around Hollier and avoid another crowded primary.

Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter, @clarajanehen.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Thanedar holds cash advantage over Hollier heading into 2024