Michigan's 8th Congressional District GOP nominee, Thomas Smith managed to win the primary race, despite the decision to suspend his campaign weeks earlier.
Smith defeated Trump-backed challenger Amir Hassan by roughly 10,000 votes, or 17 percentage points, out of over 61,000 votes cast, according to the Associated Press.
On July 16, Smith wrote in a statement that he would be suspending his campaign "after prayerful consideration," and threw his support to Al Lemmo, another GOP candidate running in the primary.
"Al is a champion for conservative principles and is the right choice for Republicans in August," Smith said. "I ask every one of my supporters to join me in uniting behind Lemmo for Congress."
In June, Trump endorsed Hassan in a truth social post, citing his military experience in the Navy and work in law enforcement.
"As your next Congressman, Amir will work hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Great Military/Veterans, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment," Trump's post reads.
Suspending a campaign is not the same as withdrawing from an election. In elections, suspension refers to halting campaign efforts. Withdrawing requires an official exit from a race.
Since Smith did not withdraw from the race, his name still appeared on Tuesday's ballot alongside Hassan and Lemmo.
Something similar happened in the primary race for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat. Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, suspended her campaign in the midst of a tough primary between former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D–Birmingham. Like Smith, McMorrow's name remained a choice on ballots on election day.
Both Smith and Hassan campaigned on conservative approaches to various issues, aligning themselves with the Trump administration's agenda.
In November's general election, Smith will face incumbent Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, whose bid for re-election was uncontested.
"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 said in a statement.
According to campaign finance data from the Federal Election Commission, Hassan raised just over $700,000 in donations to his campaign between 2025 and 2026. The FEC has no available data for contributions made to Smith's campaign.
McDonald Rivet raised about $5.1 million within the same time frame, giving her about $4.2 million to work with heading into November.
McDonald Rivet was first elected to the House in 2024, where she defeated Republican Paul Junge by almost seven percentage points. She took office in 2025, replacing Democratic predecessor Dan Kildee.
That same year, Trump won the district by two percentage points.
According to her campaign website, McDonald Rivet's re-election plans include focusing on lowering costs for working families, investing in the Michigan workforce and bringing high-paying jobs to the district.
Zach Bannon, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said the eighth district has shifted to the right in the last few election cycles.
"The Democrat embrace of socialism may earn cheers from the radical far left base, but it's going to cost some seats in Trump won districts like Michigan's 8th where voters reject their extreme agenda," Bannon told WCMU.
McDonald Rivet and Smith will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot alongside the following third party candidates:
- Jim Casha – Green Party
- C. Mia Pettus – Libertarian Party
- Kathy Goodwin – Working Class Party
Smith did not immediately respond to WCMU's request for comment.
The 8th Congressional District includes all of Bay and Saginaw counties, most of Genesee County and the city of Flint, along with portions of Midland and Tuscola counties.
