Detroit — In-fighting over the last decade has become a feature of the GOP, much to the delight of those who see politics as a spectator sport. But when Democrats go to the mattresses it rarely happens out in the open. The intense rivalries and personal dramas are hidden. But if you watch closely enough you get hints some dems would love to nuke each other from orbit.
One such battle has been brewing for years between Rep. Rashida Tlaib vs Rep. Shri Thanedar. It might be reaching a boiling point.
Their bordering districts, Tlaib in the 12th and Thanedar in the 13th, encompass the bulk of Wayne County. Tlaib previously represented Thanedar’s district, and that may have been the original spark igniting this intense rivalry.
How this battle originally started isn’t clear, and neither has gone on the record with a specific reason, but the fact is they really don’t like each other.
Congresswoman Tlaib reached out to Michigan Enjoyer and did not hold back:
“Shri puts up billboards claiming he is available for constituent services 24/7, but residents are still calling our office for help. It’s because he doesn’t care and uses his staff to run personal errands that benefit him, not the residents that need help. It’s against ethics standards and improper use of public tax dollars.”
Tlaib claims that many of Thanedar’s constituents have called her office seeking assistance for various issues in recent years, specifically during the February 2025 water main break in southwest Detroit that resulted in the flooding and freezing of several streets with ice thick enough to cover cars.
Thanedar’s expenditures for ad-buys during the 2025 government shutdown were also a sore spot for Tlaib: “He ran so many ads during the shutdown, I heard he paid for it and turned around and billed the government for it.”
Indeed, Thanedar did run a steady barrage of ads during the shutdown tagged with “Paid for by official funds authorized by the House of Representatives,” certainly giving the appearance of campaign aids and definitely stretching ethical boundaries. But what Tlaib and other sources didn’t or wouldn’t mention was the actual content of the ads: Thanedar speaking on behalf of House Democrats and taking ownership of the shutdown.
A truthful ad to be sure, but far too factual for the House Democrats who were moving heaven and earth to avoid that narrative.
These new allegations come on the heels of Thanedar seeking and receiving congressional fund reimbursement for a breathtaking ad blitz during his 2024 re-election, which also skirted campaign finance rules by carefully avoiding words or motifs that could trigger an investigation.
So what does Congressman Thanedar say to all that? He responded to Enjoyer’s request for comment but mostly took the high road.
“Rashida is the queen of franking ads, she even told me that once. She’s really quite proud of that fact” said Thanedar, regarding his shutdown TV, Internet, and radio ad bomb. “Yes, I run more ads but I wanted to keep voters in my district informed.”
Speaking more at length about his accessibility, Thanedar claims he also receives calls from constituents from Tlaib’s districts as well, but avoided blaming her for it.
“Many of my constituents were previously represented by Congresswoman Tlaib,” Thanedar said. “So it’s to be expected that some in my district would reach out to her office. Similarly, we get five to 10 constituents from her district that reach out to our office every month. The fact that constituents sometimes reach out to the wrong office is not indicative of anything.”
Tlaib claimed to be responsive to Michigan residents whether or not they reside outside her district, implying she essentially represents two districts in congress.
As controversial as Tlaib has been during her congressional career, even some who detest her politics have acknowledged her responsiveness. A prominent Livonia Republican said that “a frustrating reality for those of us looking to unseat her is her constituent services are second to none.”
Thanedar again avoided any direct conflict with his neighboring house member. “I don’t know why Rashida is upset with me, but I try to be accessible to voters as I can,” he said “I won re-election twice with over 50% in the Democratic primary so voters are happy with me.”
Acknowledging his potential political differences with Tlaib, Thanedar shied away from pinpointing any specific reasons for the rift between the two, though he did speak on the looming issue when pressed.
“I’m pro-Israel and in line with 400 other members of Congress and the previous president in supporting the only democracy in the Middle East. I don’t think it’s a big deal and I don’t pay attention to the small number of House members in disagreement with that position.”
In stating that, Thanedar dismissed the notion that his support for Israel is a factor in why Tlaib could be upset with him: “I don’t know, I don’t think that’s the reason, I have no idea why she’s worried about me.”
Thanedar did not speak on the high turnover of congressional aids in his office. But according to records obtained from the High Chart Turnover Index, Thanedar has the third highest turnover of employees of any member of the House since 2001 with 75% of his staff. Three times of the average turnover in house.
Eyebrow raising to be sure, but high turnover isn’t unique to Thanedar and 2025 has seen a remarkable spike across the board with over 50% of congressional staff employees ejecting themselves off Capitol Hill, according to Legistorm. Reasons for departure include low pay, high stress, and a surge in job opportunities on K Street.
With this long running feud heading into 2026, both Tlaib and Thanedar face another election season in which each may have to win a primary to hold their seats in deep-blue Wayne County.
Thanedar faces a field of primary challengers in the 13th, with newcomer independent Maurice Morton waiting in the general election.
Tlaib appears secure in the 12th district with a well-funded war-chest, but seems concerned about Livonia’s moderate voters.
With the total absence of serious Republican challengers, it appears Tlaib and Thanedar may be content to go to war with each other.
Jay Murray is a writer for Michigan Enjoyer and has been a Metro Detroit-based professional investigator for 22 years. Follow him on X @Stainless31.
