Candidate who dropped out beats Trump’s pick in a battleground GOP House primary

Thomas Smith, a political unknown who raised almost no money for his campaign, defeated President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate in a Republican primary for a Michigan congressional seat the GOP hopes to contest this fall, NBC News projects.

Trump had backed military veteran Amir Hassan in his bid to take on Democratic Rep.

Kristen McDonald Rivet in the 8th District, which the president carried by 2 points in the 2024 election.

But Hassan lost to Smith, who suspended his campaign in mid-July, according to local media reports.

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