Guy Who Dropped Out Of Race Blows Out Trump-Backed Republican Amir Hassan In Swing Seat Primary

August 05, 2026 10:47 AM ET A little-known candidate soundly defeated President Donald Trump’s pick for a swing House seat Tuesday despite dropping out of the race one month earlier and barely campaigning.Retired engineer Thomas J. “Tom” Smith had 50.4% of the vote compared to Trump-backed Navy veteran and law enforcement officer Amir Hassan’s 33.2%,, the Associated Press reported with more than 95% of ballots counted in the GOP primary for Michigan’s Eighth Congressional District. Smith had exited the race on July 17 — despite remaining on the ballot — and threw his support behind fellow engineer Al Lemmo, according to Newsweek.Lemmo ended up coming in a distant third place with just 16.4% of the vote, per the AP. Smith carried every county in the district, according to The New York Times