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President Trump’s pick to take on first-term Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.) in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District is projected to lose his GOP primary to a candidate who dropped out of the race, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Republican Thomas Smith, a retired engineer, defeated Amir Hassan, a former federal law enforcement officer who was endorsed by President Trump in June, to secure the Republican nomination for the November election. Thomas suspended his campaign last month, but remained on the ballot, according to local media.
Hassan’s loss adds to a string of the president’s primary losses this cycle, though his endorsement track record has been largely successful.
McDonald Rivet won the seat by almost 7 percentage points in 2024, defeating Republican nominee Paul Junge. The former Bay City state senator won the district representing Flint, Saginaw and Bay City despite Trump winning it by 2 points in the presidential election.
McDonald Rivet will enter the general election with a massive fundraising advantage, having more than $4.2 million cash on hand as she seeks reelection, according to campaign finance records.
Cook Political Report says the race “leans Democrat.” Cook wrote that the first-term congresswoman’s strong showing in 2024 gives her an advantage entering the race, though demographic trends that have pushed the district toward Republicans in recent years mean she is still expected to face a difficult battle for the seat GOP hope to flip.
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