A Republican candidate who suspended his campaign and endorsed one of his opponents has unexpectedly won the party’s nomination in one of Michigan’s most closely watched congressional districts.
Thomas J. Smith received approximately 50.4% of the Republican primary vote in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, according to unofficial results reported after nearly all expected ballots had been counted.
Amir Hassan, a former federal law-enforcement official endorsed by President Donald Trump, finished second with about 33.2%. Al Lemmo, whom Smith supported after suspending his own campaign, received approximately 16.4%. The results remain subject to official certification.
Smith had announced on July 16 that he was ending his active campaign and backing Lemmo. However, his withdrawal came too late for election officials to remove his name from ballots that had already been prepared.
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Despite conducting little visible campaigning during the final weeks, Smith received more votes than his two active opponents combined. After the result became clear, he accepted the nomination rather than repeating his earlier support for Lemmo.
Smith said he was honored that Republican voters had selected him to challenge Democratic Representative Kristen McDonald Rivet in November. He also said he intended to support Trump’s “America First” agenda and work with House Speaker Mike Johnson to expand the Republican majority.
The retired General Motors engineer and Flint native now moves from an almost inactive campaign into a nationally significant general-election contest.
Trump had endorsed Hassan in June and later appeared with him at a Michigan campaign event. Hassan emphasized his Navy service and previous work involving the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Transportation.
Following his defeat, Hassan said he would not make excuses and described the campaign as a valuable experience that allowed him to meet voters throughout the district.
The result represents a noticeable exception to Trump’s generally strong record of influencing Republican primary contests. However, it should not automatically be interpreted as a direct rejection of the president.
Smith’s familiar name, his continued presence on the ballot and the division of support among three candidates may all have contributed. Without reliable exit polling, it is not possible to determine whether voters knew Smith had suspended his campaign or whether they were intentionally rejecting Trump’s endorsement.
The unusual outcome also illustrates the difference between suspending political activity and legally withdrawing from a ballot. Once Michigan’s withdrawal deadline had passed, Smith remained an eligible candidate even though he was no longer asking voters to support him.
Ballots cast for him therefore counted normally, and his victory gave him the right to accept the Republican nomination.
Smith entered the primary with an extremely limited campaign operation. Federal records cited in reporting showed a handwritten filing declaring only $1,850 in fundraising, with Smith explaining that he had been unable to access the electronic filing system.
That creates an immediate challenge as he prepares to compete against an incumbent Democrat in a district likely to attract substantial outside spending.
Michigan’s 8th District includes Flint, Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and surrounding communities. It is politically competitive and contains many working-class voters whose concerns include manufacturing jobs, healthcare, inflation and the cost of housing and utilities.
The district produced a divided result in 2024. Trump carried it by roughly two percentage points in the presidential election, while McDonald Rivet defeated Republican Paul Junge by nearly seven points in the House race. It was one of only 13 districts nationwide that supported Trump while electing a Democratic member of Congress.
McDonald Rivet has positioned herself as a relatively moderate Democrat, emphasizing affordability, manufacturing and economic issues. Her ability to win a Trump-supporting district demonstrated that a significant group of voters was willing to split its ballot between the parties.
Smith will now need to persuade those voters that he offers a stronger economic message while rapidly building a campaign staff, fundraising network and district-wide operation.
Republicans may see the seat as an opportunity to expand their House majority, particularly because Trump previously carried the district. Democrats will argue that Smith’s limited organization and unusual path to the nomination leave him unprepared to defeat an incumbent.
The primary result provides Smith with significant free publicity, but surprise alone will not finance advertising, voter outreach or a competitive field operation. National Republican organizations must now decide how heavily they are prepared to invest in a nominee who had stopped actively campaigning only weeks before voters selected him.
Why It Matters
Michigan’s 8th District could help determine which party controls the House after the November midterm elections. A Republican victory would remove a Democrat from a district Trump carried, while another McDonald Rivet win would demonstrate continued Democratic strength among ticket-splitting voters.
The primary also shows the limits of endorsements. Support from Trump can provide money, attention and credibility, but it cannot guarantee that voters understand or follow the president’s recommendation—particularly in lower-profile congressional races.
What Comes Next
Michigan officials must certify the primary results before Smith formally becomes the Republican nominee.
Smith will then need to rebuild the campaign he suspended, raise substantial funding and unite supporters of Hassan and Lemmo. Republican leaders have indicated that the party will support its eventual certified nominee.
McDonald Rivet is expected to emphasize her record in Congress and portray Smith as unprepared for a major general-election campaign. The race will also test whether voters who supported Trump in 2024 are prepared to replace a Democratic representative they elected on the same ballot.
Reaction from Trump-backed Amir Hassan, who lost the GOP primary to an opponent, Tom Smith, who had dropped out of the race:pic.twitter.com/0WYj5lPT3C https://t.co/tSuF3S9WvD
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) August 5, 2026
