Despite withdrawing from the race last month, Republican Thomas Smith remained on the ballot in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District and soared past Trump’s preferred candidate
Credit: Paul Sancya/AP Photo
NEED TO KNOW
- Trump-backed congressional candidate Amir Hassan lost the important GOP primary in Michigan’s 8th District to Thomas J. Smith, who had suspended his campaign weeks earlier
- Smith, a former General Motors engineer, accepted the victory despite leaving the campaign trail in July
- Republicans have high hopes to flip the competitive district red in November by ousting Democratic Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet
A Republican House candidate backed by President Donald Trump was beaten in a crucial Michigan battleground district by a primary opponent who suspended his campaign last month.
The president endorsed Amir Hassan to represent the people of Michigan’s 8th Congressional District via Truth Social on Monday, Aug. 3, writing, “GET OUT AND VOTE FOR AMIR — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Despite the powerful MAGA endorsement, Hassan earned only 33.2% of the vote in Tuesday’s GOP primary, while Thomas J. Smith sailed to victory with 50.4%, according to The Associated Press.
Despite deciding to drop out of the race weeks earlier, Smith accepted the win and will now challenge Democratic Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet in the competitive district in November.
Smith issued a statement early on Wednesday, saying he was “humbled and honored that Republicans have chosen me to take the fight to Kristen McDonald Rivet.”
“I look forward to working with Speaker Johnson and the entire Republican team to expand our House majority and advance President Trump’s America First agenda to lower costs for working families and make America affordable again,” Smith added.
While he was on the campaign trail, Smith raised little money, held no major endorsements and seemingly became a non-factor in the race.
The candidate pulled out of the race last month, with the last post on his campaign’s Facebook page being posted on July 15. At the time that Smith suspended his campaign, he endorsed a different Republican, Al Lemmo, who came third in the primary.
Credit: Tom Smith For Congress/Facebook
Smith’s unexpected victory marked a significant upset for MAGA Republicans in Michigan’s 8th District, which Republicans have high hopes of flipping red this year.
He centered his campaign on his professional background as a former General Motors engineer and small business owner, and his platform prioritized private-sector economic realities, the revival of domestic manufacturing, and reducing regulations to support industrial workers.
Smith’s campaign website states, “Most people know Tom not as a politician, but as a devoted husband, father of three Veterans and a small business owner who believes in faith, family, hard work, and personal responsibility.”
In contrast, Amir Hassan campaigned on a traditional “America First” nationalist framework, drawing on his experience as a U.S. Navy veteran and former federal law enforcement officer. His focus was primarily on national security, strict border control and support for law enforcement, with an emphasis on keeping Americans safe and dismantling certain initiatives.
Although several candidates endorsed by Trump have been defeated in state-level elections this year, such as the gubernatorial races in Georgia and Iowa, Hassan marks the first congressional candidate to lose this cycle despite backing from the president.
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