{"id":2641144,"date":"2026-08-05T18:16:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T22:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-embrace-candidate-who-dropped-out-after-winning-primary\/"},"modified":"2026-08-05T18:19:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T22:19:37","slug":"republicans-embrace-candidate-who-dropped-out-after-winning-primary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-embrace-candidate-who-dropped-out-after-winning-primary\/","title":{"rendered":"Republicans embrace candidate who dropped out after winning primary"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frepublicans-embrace-candidate-who-dropped-out-after-winning-primary%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2641144&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Republicans are consolidating behind Thomas Smith as their candidate in Michigan&#8217;s 8th congressional district after he unexpectedly won the primary despite suspending his campaign and raising very little funds. Smith, a retired GM engineer and small business owner with a military background, aims too challenge Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet in the general election. His victory is seen as a setback for national Republicans, especially since the district has historically leaned Democratic, though Trump narrowly won it in 2020. Smith received the endorsement of the NRCC and RNC chair, despite being a little-known and underfunded candidate. Meanwhile, Democrat Amir Hassan, who was considered a strong contender due to his veteran background, lost unexpectedly, facing criticism for his campaign\u2019s lack of resources. Hassan accepted his defeat graciously and acknowledged the race as challenging. Experts suggest Hassan&#8217;s loss may have been influenced by limited campaign funding and the district&#8217;s demographic makeup. the results could impact the GOP&#8217;s prospects in Michigan and the broader midterm landscape, but some analysts view it as an opportunity for Republicans to capitalize on district vulnerabilities.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"240\">Republicans<\/a> began to coalesce around nominee Thomas Smith, whose defunct campaign shocked <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4\">Trump<\/a>-back Navy <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/veterans\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"488\">veteran<\/a> Amir Hassan in Tuesday\u2019s primary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smith won Tuesday\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/primary\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"2520\">primary<\/a> after suspending his campaign last month, but will now resume his campaign for the swing seat despite raising virtually no money for his bid and otherwise being a nonfactor for much of the race.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4676536\/republicans-embrace-candidate-who-dropped-out-amir-hassan-loss-no-funding\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Republicans embrace candidate who dropped out after shocking win over Trump-backed Amir Hassan<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4675962\/gop-abdul-el-sayed-senate-future-of-democrats-stark-contract-mike-rogers\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>GOP moves to make Abdul el Sayed face of Democratic Party<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4676618\/francesca-hong-thanksgiving-favorite-holiday\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Francesca Hong says Thanksgiving is her \u2018favorite holiday\u2019 after previously posting \u2018Cancel Thanksgiving\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The result is a black mark for national Republicans, who had hoped Hassan\u2019s background as a veteran and law enforcement official could keep the red-trending seat competitive. Hassan appeared on stage and spoke at a Trump rally last week before his surprise defeat.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, Republicans turn to unknown and underfunded Smith, and on Wednesday, the National Republican Congressional Committee offered him its support, congratulating him in a social media post.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCongratulations to Thomas Smith! Michiganders just chose a retired GM engineer, small business owner &#038; father of three veterans to fight to lower the cost of living in Congress,\u201d the NRCC <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/NRCC\/status\/2085025900421116214?s=20\">wrote on X<\/a>. \u201cRemember to VOTE for Thomas in the General Election on Tuesday, November 3.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters also released a statement commending Smith on his win.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/projects\/elections-2026\/michigan-primary-results-us-house\/#8\">99% of the votes counted<\/a>, Smith brought in 50.4% of the vote, compared to Hassan\u2019s 33.2% and Al Lemmo\u2019s 16.4%. President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) have not commented on Smith\u2019s victory after previously backing Hassan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a\u00a0handwritten note to the Federal Election Commission\u00a0last month, Smith wrote his campaign raised just $1,850 through June 30. He said he was filing his paperwork by hand because of issues logging into his candidate portal, as most candidates file electronically.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This letter, filed to his FEC page, might explain it. <\/p>\n<p>He &#8220;was a late entry into the race \u2026 and has raised only $1850.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>h\/t <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PatrickSvitek?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@PatrickSvitek<\/a> on finding it <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XE1PxHRdb0\">https:\/\/t.co\/XE1PxHRdb0<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZS7TIBSVih\">pic.twitter.com\/ZS7TIBSVih<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 James Downs (@jamesd0wns) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jamesd0wns\/status\/2085022748875592012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 5, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to his<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/tomsmithformi.com\/\"> campaign website<\/a>, Smith worked as an engineer at General Motors and now owns a salsa company with one of his sons. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI am humbled and honored that Republicans have chosen me to take the fight to Kristen McDonald Rivet,\u201d Smith said in a statement. \u201cI look forward to working with Speaker Johnson and the entire Republican team to expand our House majority and advance President Trump\u2019s America First agenda to lower costs for working families and make America affordable again.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michigan\u2019s 8th District is labeled \u201clean Democrat\u201d by the nonpartisan<em> Cook Political Report<\/em>, despite Trump winning the district by 2 points. McDonald Rivet won in 2024 by roughly 7 points.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A veteran of Michigan GOP politics, when asked what Smith\u2019s candidacy might mean for Republican chances in the district, instead shifted to opportunities in the Senate, 7th District, and the gubernatorial race, a sign of how some are viewing the race with an underfunded nominee.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe results last night absolutely positions Michigan Republicans advantageously to hold and win seats that prognosticators might have otherwise written off in a midterm cycle such as 2026. \u2026 Democrats can\u2019t run from the unpopular opinions of their nominees on their left flank. \u2026 Republicans pounce, as they say,\u201d the source said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some said Hassan has himself to blame.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A GOP campaign operative told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>that Hassan\u2019s loss came from him not running a \u201cgood campaign,\u201d adding that he \u201chad no money.\u201d They added that a Trump endorsement does not go as far if a candidate doesn\u2019t have the resources to \u201clet people know.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The operative did say, however, that Hassan\u2019s name could have played a factor in a district that is majority white. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hassan, who is black, roundly accepted defeat and didn\u2019t make any excuses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4675975\/republicans-who-could-replace-chuck-edwards-north-carolina-house-race\/\">HERE ARE THE REPUBLICANS WHO COULD REPLACE CHUCK EDWARDS ON THE BALLOT IN NORTH CAROLINA <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI fell short last night. I make no excuse,\u201d Hassan <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/HassanforMi\/status\/2085021510368911557?s=20\">said in a video on X<\/a>. \u201cIt was a tough race, but over the last year, I\u2019ve had some incredible dealings with people across the entire district.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTo all the winners yesterday, congratulations. I\u2019m very excited for the top of our ticket, and we will get out and vote,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GOP unites behind Thomas Smith after primary upset over Hassan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3691,"featured_media":2641145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-collage-wnp2d22ib-1785930621549-e1785930701251.jpg?1785916287&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[83742,3728,5894,4909,32085],"class_list":["post-2641144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-candidate-dropout","tag-election","tag-politics","tag-primary","tag-republican-party"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-collage-wnp2d22ib-1785930621549-e1785930701251.jpg?1785916287&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641144","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3691"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2641144"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641144\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2641148,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641144\/revisions\/2641148"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2641145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2641144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2641144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2641144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}