A Michigan Republican endorsed by President Donald Trump lost his primary election to a candidate who dropped out of the race but remained on the ballot, the Associated Press projected Wednesday.
Amir Hassan, a former federal law enforcement officer from Flint, Michigan, trailed retired engineer Thomas J. Smith by about 17 percentage points. Smith suspended his campaign to represent Michigan’s 8th Congressional District in July.
The pair were vying to flip the seat held by Democratic incumbent Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet.
Trump-endorsed candidates have won about 97% of their primary elections in 2026, according to a July 10 review by Ballotpedia. Hassan is the only Trump-backed House candidate in Michigan who lost his primary.
