Retired engineer Thomas J. “Tom” Smith secured a surprising victory in the GOP primary for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District on Tuesday, August 5, 2026, defeating Trump-backed Navy veteran Amir Hassan despite having dropped out of the race a month earlier.

With more than 95% of ballots counted, the Associated Press reported Smith received 50.4% of the vote compared to Hassan’s 33.2%. Smith had suspended his campaign on July 17 but remained on the ballot and endorsed fellow engineer Al Lemmo, who finished third with 16.4% of the vote.

Smith carried every county in the district, according to The New York Times. He sent a handwritten note to an FEC inspector in July describing his campaign as a "late entry" that had raised only $1,850 through the end of June, contrasting with Hassan’s campaign which raised over $727,000 through mid-July, per FEC records.

President Donald Trump had publicly endorsed Hassan on July 28 via Truth Social, stating, “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!”

Before the AP called the primary for him, Smith expressed his intentions in a statement reported by The Atlantic’s Michael Scherer: “I am humbled and honored. 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.”

Sources