GOTV Intel

Thomas J. Smith

Candidate for Michigan 8th Congressional District · Republican

On the 2026 ballotChallenger · Michigan 8th Congressional District · Nov 3 General

Ballot status source: Michigan Department of State — Official Candidate Listing, All State and Judicial Offices, General Election November 3, 2026: USH8, Thomas J. Smith (Republican Party) · read Sep 24, 2026

Order a GOTV Intel ReportGet Alerts on ThomasWho Is Running for This Seat

Running for Michigan 8th Congressional District, Nov 3 General. The race page has 4 other candidates, 3 certified results. See the race

Roles on File

Seats held and sought, elections and committees, newest first.

The District

What Michigan 8th Congressional District covers

Covers all of Saginaw County, Genesee County and Bay County; part of Midland County.

Includes Midland, Flint, Burton, Saginaw, Bay City, Bridgeport, Shields, Beecher, Burt, Fenton, Freeland, Lake Fenton and 27 more.

Map of Michigan 8th Congressional District with 301 precincts

301 precincts · District lines: Congressional lines: U.S. Census Bureau (1:500,000 cartographic boundary, 119th Congress) · Precinct lines: State of Michigan (DTMB/Bureau of Elections), 2024 Voting Precincts statewide layer (gisagocss.state.mi.us OpenData/boundaries/MapServer/9); State of Michigan Voting Precincts 2020 and 2022 (for those elections)

Key Votes

The record

  • No public voting record

    No elected office found. Press identifies Thomas Smith as a retired General Motors engineer and small-business owner (co-founder of Jar Head Salsa); he has not held legislative or council office. Checked 2026-09-24.

    Sep 24, 2026 · Press · Michigan Advance · source

Newest first. A close vote was decided by 5% of the votes cast or less (or 10 votes or fewer, under a fifth of the votes). Broke with party: voted against most of their party, where the record gives the party split.

Their Money

Campaign finance

Last Change
New finance report · Oct 9
Raised
$243,238cycle to date through Aug 24
Cash on Hand
$219,799cycle to date through Aug 24
Debts Owed
$7,600cycle to date through Aug 24
Next Report Due
Q3 Report · Oct 15

View on FEC.govFEC, cycle to date through Aug 24, 2026

State campaign finance: Michigan · View state filings

Top Payees

Who the campaign paid most, as its filing reports it.

Campaign finance · TOM SMITH FOR CONGRESS: Pre-Primary 2026, through Jul 15, 2026

Jul 15, 2026 · Official · Federal Election Commission

Finance Reports

  • Campaign finance · TOM SMITH FOR CONGRESS: Pre-Primary 2026, through Jul 15, 2026

    Raised $10,290.21 this cycle · spent $3,244.71 · cash on hand $7,045.50 · debts owed by the committee $7,600.00 — through Jul 15, 2026. Where the money came from (cycle to date, as reported): Individuals $2,685.00 (26%); The candidate (contributions) $5.00 (0%); Loans made or guaranteed by the candidate $7,600.00 (74%). Where it went (itemized operating expenditures this cycle, FEC-processed through Sep 20, 2026): media/ad buying $2,844.

    Jul 15, 2026 · Official · Federal Election Commission

Filings

Money shows as the filings named here report it. Payees are who the campaign paid; individual contributors are not shown.

Advertising

Who is advertising for and against Thomas

  • Advertising summary · for and against (2026 cycle)

    For: own campaign $0 on Google; outside Google ads $21,067–$24,158; Snap $0; broadcast TV not searched; FEC independent expenditures $25,852. Against: outside Google ads $0–$0; opponent campaign ads $0–$0; Snap $0; broadcast TV not searched; FEC independent expenditures $0. 2026 cycle. Broadcast TV: not yet searched. Meta not included.

    Sep 23, 2026 · Official · Ads summary (2026 cycle)

  • Google/YouTube ads · NO GOING BACK PAC INC. (supporting)

    NO GOING BACK PAC INC. — supporting this candidate (evidence: schedule e). 24 ads since Nov 2024; spend on these ads $21,067–$24,158 (Google creative spend ranges, geo-allocated); 24 of them also linked to other candidates.

    Sep 23, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · source

Independent Expenditures

FEC independent expenditures on file: $153,439 supporting, $5,000 opposing, across 14 reports.

Spend as each platform or filing reports it. Each line is a separate measure, and they are not added together.

In Their Words

What they have said, on the record

“This doctor, who kept ordering the salsa and giving it to his friends, said we should go into business. That’s all I needed to hear.”
Meet the Michigan Salsa mogul who just beat a Trump-backed RepublicanAug 6, 2026 · Press · Washington Examiner · source
“I had this entrepreneurial desire that was pent up all those years at GM”
Meet the Michigan Salsa mogul who just beat a Trump-backed RepublicanAug 6, 2026 · Press · Washington Examiner · source
“We went to visit him, and he told us to try the salsa he created. It was wonderful”
Meet the Michigan Salsa mogul who just beat a Trump-backed RepublicanAug 6, 2026 · Press · Washington Examiner · source
“I could not file this form electronically because I have had no success logging in and have not been able to get a response from the helpdesk”
Candidate who suspended campaign defeats Trump pick in Michigan primary | WCMU Public MediaAug 5, 2026 · Press · WCMU Public Media · source
“I am suspending my campaign and putting my full support behind Al Lemmo.”
Candidate who dropped out beats Trump’s pick in a battleground GOP House primaryAug 5, 2026 · Press · NBC News · source
“I ask every one of my supporters to join me in uniting behind Lemmo for Congress.”
Candidate who suspended campaign defeats Trump pick in Michigan primary | WCMU Public MediaAug 5, 2026 · Press · WCMU Public Media · source
Show all 10 statements
“Al is a champion for conservative principles and is the right choice for Republicans in August”
Candidate who suspended campaign defeats Trump pick in Michigan primary | WCMU Public MediaAug 5, 2026 · Press · WCMU Public Media · source
“We need strong conservative leadership that protects our constitutional freedoms, supports working families, secures our borders, and restores accountability in Washington”
Thomas Smith upsets Trump-endorsed House candidate in ...Aug 5, 2026 · Press · Fox News · source
“I look forward to working with Speaker (Mike) Johnson and the entire Republican team to expand our House majority and advance President Trump’s America First agenda to lower costs for working families and make America affordable again.”
Republican who paused campaign leads Trump-backed rival in Michigan primary · and says he’s ready for November after allAug 5, 2026 · Press · MLive · source
“I am humbled and honored that Republicans have chosen me to take the fight to Kristen McDonald Rivet”
Republican who paused campaign leads Trump-backed rival in Michigan primary · and says he’s ready for November after allAug 5, 2026 · Press · MLive · source

In the News

Press coverage

Headlines link to the original reporting, captured on the date shown.

Reach Them

Websites and accounts

  • Campaign Websitetomsmithformi.comFull-page screenshot of the campaign website, captured 2026-09-24 12:36 UTC. Public metrics: not applicable (website).Sep 24, 2026 · Self-published · campaign websiteSelf-published
  • Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61590850209861Public metrics as displayed to a logged-out visitor at capture (2026-09-24 12:55 UTC): 164 followers · 24 following.Sep 24, 2026 · Self-published · Facebook page Tom Smith for Congress (linked from tomsmithformi.com)Self-published

The Paper Trail

Filings, results and exhibits

  • U.S. Representative · MI-08

    Republican · Candidate · On the 2026 ballot

    Sep 4, 2026 · Official · Michigan Bureau of Elections

File read Sep 25, 2026. Each item names its source. Record ID p_b0418qcpp.

GOTV Intel reports are sourced, cited research leads your campaign confirms against the primary record before use. They are never a consumer report and never for employment, credit, insurance, housing or licensure.