Thomas Smith, a Republican retired engineer who suspended his primary campaign yet won the nomination, is his party's 2026 nominee in Michigan's 8th congressional district against Democratic incumbent Kristen McDonald Rivet.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
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Biography & Campaign Analysis
2026 race
Thomas Smith, a retired engineer, is the Republican nominee in Michigan's 8th congressional district, a Saginaw Bay seat held by Democratic incumbent Kristen McDonald Rivet, who was elected with 51.3% of the vote in 2024.
Smith suspended his campaign during the Republican primary and endorsed mechanical engineer Alfred Lemmo, but he remained on the ballot after missing the deadline for removal and won with 50.44% of the vote, ahead of former Navy officer Amir Hassan at 33.18% and Lemmo at 16.38%.
He had until August 24 to decline the nomination in order to be removed from the general-election ballot, and he is listed there as the Republican candidate.
In the general election on November 3, 2026, he faces McDonald Rivet along with Libertarian C. Mia Pettus, Green Party candidate Jim Casha and Working Class Party candidate Kathy Goodwin.