Donavan McKinney
McKinney’s platform calls for ending the military aid and arms America gives to Israel and for the U.S. to resume funding UNRWA and other aid groups for Palestinians. He pledges to co-sign the Block the Bombs Act, and says Israel must "immediately end the genocide".
McKinney is a Michigan state representative who won the Democratic primary in Michigan’s 13th District on August 4, 2026, defeating the incumbent, Shri Thanedar.
His position is written down and it points in both directions the content rule asks about. The "Palestine" section of his campaign platform says: "We need to end the military aid and arms that America gives to Israel, and pass legislation like the Block the Bombs Act, which I pledge to co-sign when elected." The same paragraph asks for the opposite movement of American money toward Palestinians: "We must also resume funding for UNRWA and other NGOs that aim to help end the famine, ensure full access to high-quality medical care, and provide full access to humanitarian aid for Palestinians." Those are two separate asks about two different recipients, and the card names both.
On the same page he writes that "Israel needs to immediately end the genocide and release all Palestinians who have been detained", and asks that the remains of the dead be returned to their families.
He ran explicitly against his opponent’s ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and campaigned with Representative Rashida Tlaib, Senator Bernie Sanders and Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. After winning he described the result as "the many versus the money". Those are statements about lobbying and money in politics rather than about what the United States sends, and they are on the research page as such.
He has held no federal office, so he has no recorded votes on any of this.
Research
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- Undated [Position band; card-leading; VERIFIED THIS SESSION]: The "Palestine" section of his campaign platform: "We need to end the military aid and arms that America gives to Israel, and pass legislation like the Block the Bombs Act, which I pledge to co-sign when elected." Read on the page this session. The page carries no publication date, so the date is the read date rather than a claim about when he wrote it.
- 2026-04-01 [Position band]: In an interview he said Detroit voters raised frustration about federal money going to foreign military action while working families struggled.
- 2026-08-05 [Position band; press characterization]: JTA reported his lead over the incumbent, describing him as having pledged to end Israel aid. The pledge itself is sourced above, from his own site; this is a news outlet's summary of it.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- Undated [Position band; card-leading; VERIFIED THIS SESSION]: Same platform section: "We must also resume funding for UNRWA and other NGOs that aim to help end the famine, ensure full access to high-quality medical care, and provide full access to humanitarian aid for Palestinians."
⚠ **THIS IS THE DIRECTION RULE'S CLEANEST CASE IN THE TRANCHE.** He wants U.S. money to the Israeli military to stop and U.S. money to Palestinians to restart. A card that said only "opposes U.S. aid" would state the reverse of half his position. Both recipients are named on the card.
Characterization of the conflict
- Undated [Position band; VERIFIED THIS SESSION]: Same platform section: "Israel needs to immediately end the genocide and release all Palestinians who have been detained, as well as allow the remains to be reunited with the families of their loved ones."
- 2026-04-01 [Position band]: In the same interview he criticized U.S. involvement in the region, including what he described as a war with Iran for no reason.
- 2026-07-30 [Position band; press analysis]: The Times of Israel placed his race in a wider account of how Israel featured in Michigan's primaries.
- 2026-08-03 [Position band; press analysis]: NOTUS on Israel as a defining issue in those primaries.
Rhetoric and lobbying
- 2026-04-01 onward [Position band]: He criticized the incumbent for aligning with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and argued members of Congress should not depend on pro-Israel lobbying organizations. A criticism of lobbying is not itself a position on weapons or funding, and his funding position is sourced separately above.
- 2026-07-18 onward [Position band]: Joint rallies with Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, reported by Common Dreams. He was also endorsed by MoveOn on 2026-05-28.
- 2026-08-05 [Position band]: At a post-primary press conference he called the result "the many versus the money" and "people versus the profits" (Bridge Detroit).
Safety and antisemitism
- [Context only, never the answer to what America sends]: No statement by him on antisemitism or Jewish community safety was located. The gather notes that press analyses in July 2026 observed his platform carried no section on antisemitism, and that his public safety platform is about gun violence intervention and infrastructure. Recorded because it is what was checked, not as a criticism.
Earlier record
- His Wikipedia page covers his state legislative service and carries nothing located on this question.
What came back empty or unusable
- One gathered source is his campaign Facebook page root, which returned 400. Nothing rests on it.
- His platform page carries no date, which is why every claim from it is banded on the read date.
Also in this race: Shelby Campbell (Independent), Simone R. Coleman (Other), Chris Dardzinski (Other), Maurice Morton (Independent), T.P. Nykoriak (Republican) · All Michigan candidates.
See the full record →But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Every claim on this page goes through at least two verification steps. Open the interactive card for votes, funding and contact details.