‘Whatever Position’: Democrat Trying To Impeach Trump Reportedly Once Considered Running As Republican

Democratic Representative Shri Thanedar from Michigan, who was born in India and is a millionaire, presented articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump on Monday. He was considering the possibility of running as an independent or even as a Republican, as multiple consultants informed The Intercept. Thanedar, who filed seven articles of impeachment against Trump, had previously compared himself to a “fiscally savvy Bernie Sanders” during an unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in 2018. The consultants revealed that he was open to running under different party affiliations when he consulted with them prior to launching his campaign.

Michigan Democratic consultant Adrian Hemond and Republican consultant Dan McMaster disclosed that they had a joint meeting with Thanedar. Hemond stated that when they inquired about the party he wanted to run from, Thanedar replied that he was indifferent and willing to run with whichever party they believed gave him the best chance of winning. During discussions about his stances on various issues, the consultants reportedly found Thanedar to be indifferent, particularly on topics like abortion. Hemond relayed that Thanedar’s stance was mostly that he was open to adopting any position that would benefit his gubernatorial campaign.

According to the consultants, Thanedar’s political flexibility was so noticeable that it appeared as though he was on different sides of the same issue. Despite publicly praising Sanders and progressives, consultant Joe DiSano observed that Thanedar seemed to strongly oppose everything that Bernie stood for. However, Thanedar refuted this claim in an interview with The Intercept, expressing his admiration for Sanders’ ideas.

Thanedar faced criticism from progressives for showing support for Republican Senator Marco Rubio in 2016. A video from a Rubio campaign rally captured Thanedar in the audience nodding and clapping along to Rubio’s statements, despite having previously donated to Democratic candidates like Hillary Clinton. However, Thanedar explained that his attendance at the rally was part of his interest in being involved in the political process and gaining access to various politicians.

In the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Thanedar finished third behind Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Abdul el-Sayed. He later ran for Congress in Michigan’s 13th district, winning in 2022 and securing reelection in 2024. For the 2026 election, he faces two primary challengers.