How would that differ from the current approach that's being taken and even the approach of the prior Biden administration?

What's it all about? So it's about, I mean, the current administration, he's our president.

I like to call him our president.

I call him the orange man.

That's what I call him.

But in reality, what he's doing is unconscionable and creating situations that really should not exist in the first place.

Like going into Iran, literally going on, what is it, True Social? And on Easter Sunday of all days and then following up saying, hey, I'm going to be responsible for a complete genocide in Iran.

What do they mean to you, these endorsements?

What's happening in Michigan?

Yeah.

So you know, for those folks who don't know about the data center fight, data centers have been around for, hm, prob- decades now actually, but this is the first time that they're building at mass scale, like these big mega sites.

And so, you know, as a state rep myself, uh, we put some guardrails in the legislation even though it was watered down because, you know, groups like Meta and, you know, Google that came in, flooded dollars to our elected officials to water down our legislation.

But in Michigan, we put some protections in there.

Doesn't necessarily go far enough, but at least we have some guardrails on there saying that if you take taxpayer dollars or if you're taking our tax credits here in our state, then you have to, uh, create a closed loop system and, uh, you know, protecting people's water and, and their electrical grid.

Um, but it doesn't go far enough, and so we're joining gr- folks like Rep Pearson down there in Tennessee, and other folks across the nation on a moratorium.

The significance of this, and not only are you taking on a Republican candidate in your district, but do you see yourself taking on the Democratic establishment?

What's happening in Michigan?

Yeah.

So you know, for those folks who don't know about the data center fight, data centers have been around for, hm, prob- decades now, actually.

But this is the first time that they're building at mass scale, like these big mega sites.

And so, you know, as a state rep myself, uh, we put some guardrails in the legislation, even though it was watered down because, you know, groups like Meta and, you know, Google that came in, flooded dollars to our elected officials to water down our legislation.

But in Michigan, we put some protections in there.

Doesn't necessarily go far enough, but at least we have some guardrails on there saying that if you take taxpayer dollars or if you're taking our tax credits here in our state, then you have to, uh, create a closed loop system and, uh, you know, protecting people's water and, and their electrical grid.

The significance of this, and not only are you taking on a Republican candidate in your district, but do you see yourself taking on the Democratic establishment?

What's happening in Michigan?

Yeah, so you know, for those folks who don't know about the data center fight, data centers have been around for, mm, prob- decades now, actually.

But this is the first time that they're building at mass scale, like these big mega sites.

And so, you know, as a state rep myself, uh, we put some guardrails in the legislation, even though it was watered down because, you know, groups like Meta and, you know, Google that came in, flooded dollars to our elected officials to water down our legislation.

But in Michigan, we put some protections in there.

Doesn't necessarily go far enough, but at least we have some guardrails on there saying that if you take taxpayer dollars or if you're taking our tax credits here in our state, then you have to, uh, create a closed loop system and, uh, you know, protecting people's water and, and their electrical grid.

Um, but it doesn't go far enough.

And not only are you taking on a Republican candidate in your district, but do you see yourself taking on the Democratic establishment?

What's happening in Michigan?

Yeah.

So you know, for those folks who don't know about the data center fight, data centers have been around for, hm, prob- decades now, actually.

But this is the first time that they're building at mass scale, like these big mega sites.

And so, you know, as a state rep myself, uh, we put some guardrails in the legislation, even though it was watered down because, you know, groups like Meta and, you know, Google that came in, flooded dollars to our elected officials to water down our legislation.

But in Michigan, we put some protections in there.

Doesn't necessarily go far enough, but at least we have some guardrails on there saying that if you take taxpayer dollars or if you're taking our tax credits here in our state, then you have to, uh, create a closed loop system and, uh, you know, protecting people's water and, and their electrical grid.

Um, what does it mean to you to be a Democratic socialist? And do you see yourself, I mean, something like five Democratic socialists have, uh, won their primaries now, the significance of this, and not only are you taking on a Republican candidate in your district, but do you see yourself taking on the Democratic establishment?

Let's take a look at what this conversation looked like.

This state could decide the Democrats' chances at taking control of the Senate, and a lot depends on whether Black voters are motivated to show up.

So I'm asking folks, why didn't you vote for Kamala Harris? What do you think the Democratic Party thinks of you? What's the dream? [upbeat music] When I asked you how America is doing, you said, "Suffering."

Uh, and the first time I voted for Donald Trump, I thought it was gonna make a difference.

Let me ask, your vote for Donald Trump both times, was that a vote that was cast in the hopes that Donald Trump could maybe make a change or deliver something different? Or was that a protest vote-

Tell me what I missed there.

Yeah, no, Tavis, thank you so much, man.

And I'm just honored to be on your show and your listeners who are tuning in.

Listen, this is because of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Supreme Court decision to roll that back pretty much gutted it and made it nonexistent, essentially.

You know, states overnight down south, multiple states either, you know, cancel their primary elections as people were voting or, you know, was about to vote.

And or they called special sessions to, you know, call their legislatures back in to redraw the districts to eliminate majority minority districts across the country.

And so Michigan's money 13 district.

So is that a statement, Donovan, more about poverty, about the institutions, or about leadership? You tell me.

day, you know,

we get to make the change.

Stay still in the hood.

I'm going to drive in my own area.

I'm raising my family.

Flip it over.

You'll see this.

So my

It's crazy.

It's crazy.

Man, we got the love of the people.

I'll say this real quick.

I got to give a shout out to my grandmother and my mom who helped raise me.

Like, we moved a lot.

You talked about it 13 times across the city.

No,

Yeah.

Spent the vast majority of my life in Northeast Detroit, but my grandmother taught me these two things that I still live by today, and I'm so grateful to still have her in my life.

She's still alive.

The first thing she taught me was count your blessings, because you woke up this morning when a lot of people didn't, right? You able-bodied.

Uh, you got, you know, clothes on your back, roof over your head, car to drive, food on your, on, on the table.

So those small things we take for granted day to day out, she said, "Count your blessings." Number two, she always used to tell me, "No matter what happens in life, there will always be people worse off than you, there will always be people better off than you, but to never fight the urge to give.

Never fight the urge to give." So I put her quote on my first piece of literature when I ever ran for state rep.

... before every plate in Michigan is sitting in a database ICE can search with ease?

Most of you carve your own

lane for the way you want it.

Everybody can't be the same in their way to deliver messages.

As possible, even if that makes you uncomfortable.

You'll see.

You told me that I didn't really hit the same.

You spoiled it.

Bro, you're fucking face deep into that concrete milkshake.

Yeah

... um, in, in Detroit, um, the surrounding areas and communities in Wayne County, um, as well as money for CVI programs, community violence intervention.

Brought home tens of millions of dollars for that.

Um, because of the work that I led in the state legislature, Michigan became the first state in the country to have a statewide community violence intervention program.

Uh, we also brought home money for, you know, rebuilding our school buildings and community centers.

Um, I got the gap money to bring Davis Aerospace Technical High School back to s- Detroit City Airport.

Um, and then also, you know, building a new person high school, uh, after school program dollars.

Okay.

So I, I, I mean how, when you talk to folks, um, that are, you want them to vote, how do you explain to them how they can ever win in a society where the President of the United States, you wonder where the scamming ass at? In the White House.

[laughs] That's true.

No, this is what we gotta do.

We have to educate people and to understand their own power.

I believe organized people beat organized money every single time.

And so we have to get back to, you know, the Dr.

King, the Civil Rights days of understanding our real voice.

Why do you suppose that is?

And so what, what, what's your relationship been like with them, and what, what advice do you have to DSA chapters both in Detroit and also, uh, you know, around the country about how they can be more resonant in neighborhoods like the ones that you grew up in, and kind of push back against, uh, some of that, that criticism that they get for being kind of white outsiders coming in to, um, put, put like a, a fancy democratic socialism label on their polit- on their gentrifying politics?

No, I would say, listen, this is not about labels in particular.

This is about the issues that are impacting the everyday life and the quality of life of our residents and community members.

And I t- I preach about it all the time, but we have to...

If the Democratic Party wants to continue to act like or at least claim they're the party of the people, then we need to act like it, and we need to ensure that we deliver on the resources as much as possible.

How I define politics is the redition- re- redistribution of resources, Eric.

And so if you're in these powerful positions of, of influence and you're at the table deciding these things, you need to bring back home resources when people are struggling to make ends meet.

... portrayed in the headlines, but I'm curious when... what you thought when you saw the headlines and that, but then also where you are on kind of Will Lawrence and, and the general idea he's, he's talking about there.

Can you talk about, especially as the VRA is being vetted and black representation is being vetted, why it's important to have representation in this space? No, this is a great

question.

I'm running in the seat that's the only majority black district in the country right now that's currently not represented by a black person.

And so because of the VRA on its law and the track from our Supreme Court, 12 states overnight, either decide to cancel their primary elections or call special sessions to redraw these districts.

Now, right now, currently, we have more people serving, black people serving in Congress than in one time in the history of our country.

62 members of the Congressional Black Caucus out of 535 seats.

So 435 in the House, 100 in the US Senate.

How can folks learn more about your campaign? Yes,

Okay.

And I just told it on the house floor, and it's about my grandfather, because the speaker of the house in Michigan introduced a resolution, um, you know, commemorating 250 years of American history.

Right? We're celebrating America 250 this year.

And you know, they were talking about how great America is, but I had to share the story of my grandfather, who literally fled, him and my great-grandparents fled the Jim Crow South to Detroit, Michigan, for a better life.

He ended up, one of the most interesting things about my grandfather is that he worked for Ford Motor Company 42 years, never missed a day of work.And like this brother loved our country.

He loved Ford.

Uh, and the reason why he never missed a day at work, because he told me growing up, Ford had his back.

But my, my last question to you would be this: If Democrats wanna win back swing voters in twenty twenty-six, what should they stop talking about, and what should they start talking about as of tomorrow morning?