A political unknown who raised almost no money defeated President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate in a Michigan Republican primary Tuesday.
Thomas Smith, a retired engineer from General Motors, won the Republican primary for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District with just over 50% of the votes after suspending his campaign in mid-July and endorsing another candidate, Al Lemmo.
Smith beat both Lemmo and President Donald Trump-backed candidate Amir Hassan, a Navy veteran, who took second place with around 33% of the vote.
Al Lemmo took 16%.
Smith, who says on his campaign website that he’s a salsa entrepreneur and retired General Motors engineer, disclosed that he had only raised $1,850 through June 30.
He appeared to struggle with the FEC’s technology, adding in a postscript, “I could not file this form electronically because I have had no success logging in and have not been able to get a response from the help desk.”
Smith suspended his campaign in July and endorsed Lemmo, while Trump endorsed Hassan and invited him onstage at a recent rally.
“The contrast is clear, the time is now,” Hassan said at the rally. “Protecting America, getting back to the fundamentals… that’s what we’re doing this cycle.”
Smith remained on the ballot because his withdrawal came after the deadline to get his name removed.
Smith issued a statement early Wednesday, saying he was “humbled and honored that Republicans have chosen me to take the fight to Kristen McDonald Rivet,” the first-term Democratic congresswoman from Bay City.
National Republicans moved swiftly to embrace Smith.
The National Republican Congressional Committee congratulated him in a social media post: “Congratulations to Thomas Smith! Michiganders just chose a retired GM engineer, small business owner & father of three veterans to fight to lower the cost of living in Congress. Remember to VOTE for Thomas in the General Election on Tuesday, November 3.”
Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters also released a statement commending Smith on his win.
Smith spoke at a GOP Unity Luncheon in Macomb County the day after the primary, appearing alongside other congressional nominees.
Party operatives believe Smith can succeed where Hassan struggled.
“His name ‘definitely could be a factor’ in the shock loss to Smith,” said a GOP operative.
Trump’s endorsement drew pushback from some members of the president’s MAGA base who believed Hassan was Muslim despite him having “reaffirmed his commitment to Christ,” according to his website.
“Have you lost your mind, endorsing Muslim candidates,” one Truth Social user replied to Trump’s endorsement post.
“No Muslims in America. No Muslims in office,” wrote another person, with a third responding: “NO MUSLIMS IN OFFICE PERIOD!”
Hassan acknowledged his defeat in a brief video posted early Wednesday.
“I fell short last night. I make no excuse. It was a tough race,” Hassan said in a video posted to X early Wednesday.
“I always think about conservative values, and the biggest conservative value is: You don’t make excuses. We see an obstacle and we figure out a way to overcome it, and this is no different. I know what God has in store for me is something greater, even if I can’t see it right now and I don’t understand.”
Reflecting on his failed endorsement, Trump lamented: “It was a little bit of a person that I thought was a good person — didn’t have much of a chance, but I said: ‘I don’t care. I’m doing it anyway.'”
The race dynamics shifted dramatically in mid-July.
Smith dropped out on July 16, and on Tuesday, he won the primary, beating challengers Amir Hassan, whom President Donald Trump endorsed, and Al Lemmo.
According to incomplete returns, Smith won with 50% of the vote to Hassan’s 33% and 16% for Al Lemmo, the candidate that Smith endorsed when he withdrew from the campaign.
Hassan, 33, is a Flint native with deep roots in military and federal service.
Hassan grew up in Flint, joined the Navy and then worked as a federal law enforcement officer for 11 years, including stints with the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security and finally the Department of Transportation, before moving back to Michigan to run for Congress last year.
Hassan said throughout his campaign that he had converted from Islam to Christianity, stating on his campaign website that he “recently reaffirmed his commitment to Christ” and that “Jesus Christ is his Lord and Saviour”.
Smith, 72, is a longtime Flint resident with a more modest public profile.
Smith moved to Flint from Wisconsin at a young age and worked at a Buick assembly plant in the city, and following retirement from General Motors, he created Jar Head Salsa with his son Dave, a brand sold mainly in farmers’ markets across Michigan.
Trump carried Michigan’s 8th District by 2 points in 2024, but Democratic Rep. Rivet won the seat that year.
The 8th District is considered by Republicans as a pickup opportunity in Michigan — the district was one of 13 congressional districts nationwide that voted for Trump in 2024 while simultaneously electing a Democrat to the House of Representatives, and the 2026 election is considered a “lean Democrat” by the Cook Political Report.
Smith will now face Democratic U.S. Representative Kristen McDonald Rivet in November.