Coverage spread: 2 sources — 1 left · 1 right
Lean ratings via AllSides / Media Bias-Fact-Check. How this works.
Where they agree
- Thomas Smith won the GOP primary in Michigan’s 8th District despite reportedly suspending his campaign in mid-July.
- Smith defeated Trump-endorsed candidate Amir Hassan, with Smith taking about 50% of the vote to Hassan’s 33%; Al Lemmo got 16%.
- Smith is a former General Motors engineer who later co-founded a salsa company with his Marine veteran son.
- The winner will face Democratic Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, who Trump carried the district against by 2 points in 2024.
Where they differ
- NBC News focuses on the mechanics of Smith’s apparent dropout, including his handwritten FEC filing citing $1,850 raised and login problems with the FEC portal.
- Fox News gives more space to the other candidates’ platforms, noting Lemmo’s pro-life, pro-onshoring campaign and Hassan’s rally remarks about his family’s GM ties.
- Fox News includes McDonald Rivet’s 2024 margin of victory over Paul Junge for added context on the district’s competitiveness; NBC omits this figure.
- NBC frames the story around the strangeness of an unfunded, inactive campaign beating a presidential endorsement, while Fox situates it more within the GOP’s broader midterm strategy to expand its House majority.
What happened in the primary
Thomas Smith, a little-known Republican candidate who had suspended his campaign and reportedly endorsed a rival in mid-July, won the GOP primary for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, defeating President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate, military veteran Amir Hassan. With nearly all votes counted, Smith took roughly 50% of the vote to Hassan’s 33%, while a third candidate, Al Lemmo, got 16%. The Associated Press declared Smith the winner.
Smith is a former General Motors engineer who later started a salsa company with his son, a Marine veteran. He raised almost no money for his campaign — about $1,850 through June 30, according to a handwritten letter he filed with the Federal Election Commission, explaining he couldn’t log into the FEC’s online portal. His campaign’s Facebook page went quiet after July 15, and a video posted by Lemmo showed Smith announcing he was suspending his run and throwing his support behind Lemmo. Despite this, Michigan’s official candidate listing never showed Smith as having withdrawn, and he remained on the ballot and won anyway.
Smith told the Detroit News he was “humbled and honored” that Republican voters chose him to challenge Democratic Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, saying he intends “to take the fight” to her. His campaign website calls for “strong conservative leadership” that protects constitutional freedoms, supports working families, secures the border and restores accountability in Washington.
The district and the stakes
Michigan’s 8th District covers Flint, Saginaw, Midland and Bay City, and has grown increasingly competitive. Trump carried it by about 2 points in 2024. McDonald Rivet, a former state senator from Bay City, won her own primary the day before and is seeking her second term; in 2024 she beat Republican Paul Junge by roughly six points. Trump had backed Hassan, even bringing him onstage at a rally where Hassan spoke about family members who worked at GM and framed the race as a clear contrast on “protecting America” and “getting back to the fundamentals.” Lemmo, a retired Army automotive mechanical engineer, ran on a pro-life, pro-onshoring platform.
The race is one of several the GOP is watching as it tries to expand its House majority in November, making the upset of Trump’s chosen candidate notable heading into a competitive general election matchup with McDonald Rivet.
How the coverage differs
NBC News frames the story mainly around the oddity of an inactive, nearly-broke campaign defeating a well-backed, Trump-endorsed opponent, dwelling on the details of Smith’s handwritten FEC filing and the confusion over whether he’d actually withdrawn. Fox News gives more attention to the broader Republican field and stakes, including Lemmo’s platform, Hassan’s rally appearance and remarks alongside Trump, and McDonald Rivet’s prior election margin against Junge — situating the upset within the GOP’s larger push to flip House seats. Fox also notes Trump’s rally remarks in more detail, while NBC emphasizes the mechanics of Smith’s dropout and the FEC paperwork.
Why this is getting attention
The result is a striking example of an underfunded, seemingly inactive candidate beating a well-known endorsement from a sitting president, raising questions about voter awareness, local campaign organization, and how much presidential endorsements actually move primary voters in down-ballot House races. It also complicates Republican strategy in a swing district Trump only narrowly won, as the party now heads into the general election with a nominee who has offered little public campaigning and reportedly tried to step aside before the vote.
Sources
Featured photo: United States Congress via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)