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Posted on 08/08/2026 4:04:53 PM PDT by Libloather
National Republicans are rallying around a complete political unknown who stunned the party by winning a Michigan congressional primary over President Trump’s hand-picked candidate.
Thomas Smith, a retired GM engineer who sells salsa that retails at Flint farmer’s markets, spent virtually nothing yet convincingly beat Trump-backed Amir Hassan — a US Navy vet and former federal law enforcement officer who raised $727,000.
“He’s just as shocked as everyone was on election night,” a Smith campaign consultant told The Post. “He understands that this was not expected, but he also understands that people have spoken.”
Smith won 50.4% of the vote to Hassan’s 33%, while Republican activist Al Lemmo took 16%.
The shocking result came despite Smith having virtually no campaign operation and telling voters weeks before Tuesday’s primary that he was no longer running.
Republican leaders are rallying behind Smith’s race against Democratic Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet. Republicans “plan to go on offense” to support Smith, a GOP operative told The Post.
The result was especially stunning because Hassan had spent $623,000 through July, while Smith had barely spent anything.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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“Shipping: Jar Head Salsa ships its products to most of the 50 states, allowing customers outside of Michigan to purchase directly.
“
Is the salsa made in New York City?
It could people just wanted to vote a person with an American last name.
Run by Dave Smith.
JAR HEAD SALSA - AWARD-WINNING · SMALL BATCH · VETERAN OWNED
The GOP has its hands quite full trying not to lose 3 very vulnerable House seats in Michigan and trying (probably futilely) to win an expensive Senate race.
The probability of them beating McDonald in CD-8 in 2026 is maybe 10%. That doesn’t mean you don’t try, but it does mean you don’t take money away from others to spend it on a pipe dream.
And don’t believe the idiocy about Democrats being broke while Republicans have infinitely more money. Anyone who DOES believe that garbage is free to present a financial example from any close Senate or House race.
Thanks.
Many voters know very little about a candidate, don’t pay attention to the ads on tv...many of which are negative against a major opponent. The result is that they look at the first and last name of the person and vote based on that basis.
In Chicago, and probably nation wide the Irish name has the edge, Kennedy, Reagan had a big edge, just by having the right name. Most voters thought Goldwater was a Jewish name and voted against that name. In Chicago many Italian and Polish and Jewish politicians changed their name to an Irish sounding name specifically for that reason. On the other hand in a district that is identifies one race or ethnicity the candidate with add in “quotes” the ethnic name to keep that identity. Then the same politicians drops the ethnicity when running statewide.
A good ground game is the best way to get around this. Different from a TV ad (or billboard) the ground game breaks through the stereotyping based on name. The voter is voting from the ground game worker as much as for the candidate.
I suspect you are right. Hassan likely lost because of his name.
Michigan Republicans don’t want anyone with an arab name. They know enough.
I doubt id vote for a guy name Hassan (unless the other options were some how even worse).
Republicans just need to stick with nominating White men.
(That...and some folks don't like bring told how to vote)
If you think Al Sayed is going to win the Senate race you are utterly out of touch with the upper Midwest
So simple. Most voters are fed up with anyone who has a “foreign” name. Just give ‘em Smith and Jones.
Mr. Smith goes to Washington
Michigan has a lot of problems to fix if he can beat the cheat.
Imho the standard republican media people who run campaigns for republican candidates ate uninsured. I don’t get why it is that the guy who ran the republican candidates election in LA was not hired by one or more republican ad agrncoes
Yep. Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke for example.
I think I’d give him a better chance than 10%. Didn’t Trump carry the district?
In 2024, she won 51-44.
Now Smith is seriously underfunded, yes.
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