Michigan’s 8th Congressional District is a swing seat being defended by first-term incumbent, Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, a Democrat from Bay City who is unopposed in the primary.
It’s curious Republicans didn’t see more opportunity for flipping the mid-Michigan district, which includes Flint, Saginaw, Midland and Bay City.
This is a district that has borne the brunt of deindustrialization in America. Its cities are littered with abandoned manufacturing plants. It should be ripe for candidates offering alternatives to the policies that have facilitated its decline.
The GOP is putting up three little-known candidates in Amir Hassan, Al Lemmo and Thomas J. Smith.
Lemmo is a mechanical engineer who helped develop tanks for the U.S. Army. His campaign is heavily focused on abortion; he’s a longtime pro-life activist. Previously, he ran for Congress in the 13th District.
Not much can be gleaned about Smith’s campaign. He did not fill out a Detroit News candidate questionnaire, and we could not find a website associated with his candidacy.
Amir Hassan of Flint is actively campaigning. He is the son and grandson of autoworkers, was raised in the district and lived through its long economic slide. He understands the challenges its communities face. Hassan graduated as class president from Northwestern Edison High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete.
Hassan left college in 2006 to join the U.S. Navy. His service included a stint working the prison camps at Guantanamo Bay, where he says his fierce opposition to terrorism was galvanized.
He believes America should stand with Israel, which he calls “a global force for good in a dangerous region of the world.” He also supports President Donald Trump’s efforts to neutralize Iran.
After leaving the Navy, Hassan earned a degree in criminal justice and went to work as a federal law enforcement officer.
Hassan calls himself an America First Republican who would focus on bringing jobs back to the Saginaw Valley.
Amir Hassan gets our endorsement in the 8th Congressional District primary.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Newcomers seek GOP nod in Michigan’s hard-hit 8th Congressional District
Reporting by The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
