Shri Thanedar is the embodiment of the "American Dream" with a twist: he is an immigrant scientist and millionaire entrepreneur representing one of the poorest and Blackest congressional districts in the country (Detroit).
He represents Michigan’s 13th District, which includes large portions of Detroit, the wealthy enclaves of Grosse Pointe, and the working-class Downriver communities like Taylor and Romulus. It is the hub of the American auto industry, hosting major Stellantis manufacturing plants.
Born into poverty in India, Thanedar came to the U.S. in 1979 to pursue a PhD in Chemistry. He famously worked as a janitor and slept in his car before building and selling two successful chemical testing companies (Chemir and Avomeen), earning him multiple "Entrepreneur of the Year" awards.
In Congress, he serves on the Homeland Security Committee (where he is the Ranking Member of the Oversight Subcommittee) and the Small Business Committee. His legislative focus is a unique blend of pro-business policies for entrepreneurs and progressive social safety nets (like protecting SNAP) for his low-income constituents.
Despite his moderate business background, Thanedar has taken a fiery turn in the 119th Congress, introducing articles of impeachment against President Trump in 2025 and authoring the "Abolish ICE Act" in 2026, positioning himself as a relentless critic of the administration's immigration policies.
"He slept in his car as a student and built a chemical empire as a CEO. Now, Shri Thanedar is the scientist fighting for Detroit's auto workers and immigrants."
Shri Thanedar: The Scientist of the Motor City
Shri Thanedar’s resume looks nothing like a typical politician’s. Born in Belgaum, India, to a low-income family, he immigrated to the United States at age 24 with $20 in his pocket. While earning his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Akron, he worked odd jobs as a janitor and often slept in his car to save money. He eventually became a U.S. citizen in 1988 and leveraged his scientific expertise into a business empire, founding Chemir/Polytech Laboratories and Avomeen Analytical Services. These companies, which tested pharmaceutical products and chemical formulations, made him a millionaire and a celebrated job creator in the Midwest.
His entry into politics was splashy. He spent millions of his own money running for Governor of Michigan in 2018, finishing a surprising third in the primary with a platform that combined fiscal pragmatism with progressive ideas. He pivoted to the state legislature in 2020, representing Detroit, and in 2022, he won the race for the newly redrawn 13th District—a victory that made him the first Indian American to represent Michigan in Congress.
In Washington, Thanedar acts as a bridge between the business world and the working class. As a member of the Small Business Committee, he pushes for the LIONS Act, which aims to raise the limit on SBA loans to $10 million to help startups scale. Simultaneously, he sits on the Agriculture Committee, where he is a militant defender of SNAP (food stamps). He famously took the "SNAP Challenge," living on the average weekly benefit of roughly $42 to highlight the impossibility of eating healthy on government assistance.
Recently, Thanedar has shifted toward a more combative stance against the Trump administration. In May 2025, he introduced articles of impeachment against the President, citing "tyrannical overreach," and has been a vocal critic of new tariffs that threaten the auto manufacturing jobs in his district.
District Context: Michigan 13th (U.S. Census Data)
The Motor City Core: This district is the heart of American manufacturing. It includes the Jefferson North Assembly Plant (Stellantis) and is adjacent to the Ford Rouge Complex.
Population: ~770,000.
Demographics: A "Majority-Minority" district (approx. 45% Bla...
