Guy Who Dropped Out Of Race Blows Out Trump-Backed Republican Amir Hassan In Swing Seat Primary

A little-known candidate soundly defeated President Donald Trump’s pick for a swing House seat Tuesday despite dropping out of the race one month earlier and barely campaigning.

Retired engineer Thomas J. “Tom” Smith had 50.4% of the vote compared to Trump-backed Navy veteran and law enforcement officer Amir Hassan’s 33.2%,, the Associated Press reported with more than 95% of ballots counted in the GOP primary for Michigan’s Eighth Congressional District. Smith had exited the race on July 17 — despite remaining on the ballot — and threw his support behind fellow engineer Al Lemmo, according to Newsweek.

Lemmo ended up coming in a distant third place with just 16.4% of the vote, per the AP. Smith carried every county in the district, according to The New York Times.

“Hello, my name is Tom Smith, Republican candidate for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. I am announcing that today I am suspending my campaign, putting my full support behind Al Lemmo,” Smith said in a 15-second video posted to Lemmo’s campaign website. The clip had the tagline “THANK YOU, TOM SMITH!”

Smith’s campaign website contains the taglines “Guiding Michigan True North,” “Faith,” “Freedom” and “The Constitution.”

“As a Great Lakes sailor, Tom learned that you need a true north to stay on course. For him, the Bible and the Constitution provide that true north- faith and freedom,” Smith’s website reads. “Those principles have guided his life, and they will guide how he serves the district in Washington.”

“I am humbled and honored,” Smith said in a statement reported by The Atlantic’s Michael Scherer before the AP called the primary for him. “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.”

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) does not report any financial filings for the candidate. The New York Times did not even provide a headshot for Smith.

Hassan’s campaign raised more than $727,000 through mid-July, according to the FEC.

“Amir Hassan has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Representative from Michigan’s 8th Congressional District — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump wrote in a July 28 Truth Social post announcing his support for the veteran. “It is my Great Honor to endorse Amir Hassan, who is running to represent the fantastic people of Michigan’s 8th Congressional District!”

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) added Hassan to its “MAGA Majority” program, Weigel noted in another X post.

Trump carried the Eighth District, which includes the city of Flint, by two percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.

Under Michigan law, a candidate who decides to drop out of a primary campaign but wins the nomination anyway can still run in the general election.

Smith is set to face freshman incumbent Democratic Michigan Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet in November. McDonald Rivet won Tuesday’s Democratic primary uncontested.

As of the coverage period ending July 15, the moderate Democrat had $4.25 million on hand in campaign cash, according to the FEC.