Tom Smith, a retired engineer, won the Republican primary for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District on Wednesday, defeating Amir Hassan. The result occurred despite Smith having suspended his campaign in mid-July. Hassan, a Navy veteran and former law enforcement officer, had received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Smith had previously exited the race and endorsed a third candidate who ultimately finished behind both Smith and Hassan. Following the primary results, Smith informed reporters that he would resume his candidacy for the general election. Hassan had campaigned alongside Trump at a rally in Milford, Michigan, one week prior to the vote.
The primary victory sets Smith as the Republican challenger against first-term incumbent Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI). An anonymous Republican strategist cited by the source described Hassan as having candidate flaws and stated that the party's base showed reluctance to support him. The same strategist characterized McDonald Rivet as a strong incumbent candidate.
The scale of the upset is marked by the fact that Hassan is the first congressional candidate this cycle to lose a primary while carrying Trump’s endorsement. While the source did not provide the specific vote count or the exact financial gap between the candidates, it noted that Hassan finished "significantly behind" Smith. The 8th District is one of more than a dozen seats held by Democrats that Trump won in the 2024 election, making it a central focus for both parties in the effort to control the U.S. House of Representatives.
Registered voters in the district will now choose between Smith and McDonald Rivet in the November general election. The winner will represent the district's interests regarding federal spending, taxes, and national policy in the next session of Congress. The next step in this process is the general election; however, the source did not provide specific dates for the start of early voting or the certification of primary results.
Smith stated he intends to support the "America First" agenda and work with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) if elected. The source reported that while Trump-backed candidates have lost state-level races in Iowa and Georgia this year, this result represents a shift in the outcome for federal-level endorsements. No specific court dates or additional voting deadlines were reported.