"No one cares": The DSA primary challenge House Democrats are happy to ignore

Don't expect a lot of public lamentations from House Democrats next month if Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) loses to his Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-backed primary opponent.

Why it matters: That would be a drastic deviation from recent DSA primary wins, which set off alarm bells among the Democratic establishment.

In the telling of both progressive and moderate House Democrats, Thanedar's anomalous political profile and the makeup of his district will make it difficult to extrapolate from the results of his race.

"It's somewhat of a unique circumstance," Rep. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), a top ally of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), told Axios.

Another House Democrat, granted anonymity to offer a blunter assessment of how members are viewing the race, told Axios: "No one cares."

State of play: Thanedar will face off with state Rep. Donavan McKinney in an Aug. 4 primary that has been the toughest of his career.

Thanedar is without the main advantage that helped him win his predominantly Black, Detroit-based seat in the last two cycles: A divided Democratic primary field of Black opponents.

Progressives are also putting their backs into unseating Thanedar this cycle, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), DSA, Indivisible, the Working Families Party and Justice Democrats all endorsing McKinney.

Thanedar, a wealthy businessman who largely self-funds his campaigns, is backed by AIPAC, House Democratic leadership and both the Congressional Progressive Caucus and center-left New Democrat Coalition.

Between the lines: Unlike in New York, Colorado and elsewhere, House Democrats aren't looking at this race as a watershed fight between the DSA and Democratic establishment with national implications.

"You're talking about Detroit," said Meeks, noting that the city "has a large African American population" but no Black members of Congress.

Another senior House Democrat offered a similar assessment, telling Axios: "This [race] has so many nuances because of the cultural issues in Detroit ... I don't think it's indicative of anything larger."

That's an assessment both ideological wings of the caucus also agree on:

Said a senior Congressional Progressive Caucus member: "I really think it's about a very strong Black candidate representing a Black district and votes the current congressman's constituents are upset with."

A top New Democrats member told Axios: "Of course DSA is going to claim victory — that has nothing to do with that district."

What we're hearing: Thanedar's oddball political persona and rogue efforts to impeach President Trump have made him something of an outcast figure in the caucus.

"I don't think anybody would miss him at all," said a fifth House Democrat who spoke to Axios on the condition of anonymity.

A sixth lawmaker fumed that Thanedar "f***ing screwed us" by defying pleas from both leadership and rank-and-file members not to pursue impeachment, with several others saying he is not a "team player."

While Thanedar has forged some relationships, colleagues largely characterized him as reserved, isolated and eccentric. When asked about him, multiple House Democrats replied facetiously: "Who?"

The other side: Thanedar told Axios he has "not put a huge emphasis" on endorsements from colleagues and "only recently approached members" but is "proud of the endorsements I have."

He pointed to endorsements from more than a dozen colleagues including Jeffries and several other members of Democratic leadership, adding that "more members are expected to endorse us soon."

The Detroit congressman also said he "did not run for Congress to be popular on the Hill," telling Axios his "main focus has been, and will continue to be with constituents in my district."

"Any of my colleagues are more than welcome to walk around my district with me and see firsthand the love my constituents have for me, and the love I have for them," he added.

Between the lines: Jeffries and his deputies endorsing Thanedar this week was in keeping with a leadership policy of supporting incumbents in all but the most extraordinary cases.

A second senior House Democrat, asked about the endorsement, told Axios that leadership will generally stick by any member as long as they are "doing what they need to be doing and keeping their nose clean."

The same principle applies to endorsements from ideological caucuses: "We support our incumbents," the top New Dems member told Axios.

The bottom line: "No one is staying up at night worrying about him," said the first House Democrat who spoke to Axios anonymously. ...