Trump-backed Andy Ogles loses GOP primary for Tennessee House seat
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN),a member of the freedom Caucus,lost the GOP primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District to former Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher,despite receiving support from Donald Trump. The race was heavily influenced by outside spending, with notable contributions from groups like the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition and the House freedom Caucus. Hatcher raised more funds than Ogles and benefited from the endorsement of Governor Bill Lee. Ogles, first elected in 2022, faced controversy over past statements and a recent FBI inquiry into his campaign finance records. The district was redrawn, making it a more challenging race for ogles, as only 17% of the previous district’s territory remained in the new boundaries. despite trump’s endorsement, Ogles was defeated amid a competitive primary marked by high spending and political tensions.
Freedom Caucus Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) lost the GOP primary for another term representing Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District after a barrage of outside spending and the opposition of Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN).
Ogles, who was first elected to the House in 2022, was defeated by former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher on Thursday. The Associated Press called the race at 10:10 p.m. With 81% of ballots counted, Hatcher received 53.2% of the vote, while Ogles earned 46.8%.
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Ogles had the support of President Donald Trump, who re-upped his endorsement of the incumbent on Thursday. Despite Trump’s standing endorsement, Ogles faced a spirited and well-funded challenge from Hatcher.
Hatcher raised $719,502 for his bid to unseat Ogles, while the incumbent only raised $613,000. Spending by outside groups, however, significantly dwarfed that of each candidate.
The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a super PAC focused on clean energy, dropped $1.5 million on ads attacking Ogles ahead of the primary. Ogles, meanwhile, got support from the political arm of the House Freedom Caucus, with the group spending $540,000 on his behalf.
Ogles has stirred up controversy during his time in office. Last year, on the day New York City voters went to the polls to elect socialist Zohran Mamdani mayor, Ogles posted footage of a plane hitting the World Trade Center on 9/11. To accompany the graphic, Ogles posted the caption “WAKE UP NEW YORK!”
Earlier this year, Ogles faced criticism for a now-deleted social media post stating that “homosexuality has no place in America,” which was denounced by even members of his own party as homophobic. In 2024, Ogles was the subject of an FBI inquiry during which the FBI searched his phone as part of an investigation into campaign finance records. Ogles has been accused of mischaracterizing his professional background and resume.
“Andy is a Conservative Warrior who has strong support from his Community,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday. “In Congress, he is fighting tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A. and American Energy DOMINANCE, Safeguard our Elections, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military/Veterans, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.”
Hatcher ran on his background as a dairy farmer and being pro-gun and anti-abortion, while pledging to support Trump’s agenda 100%. In the closing days of the race, Hatcher secured the endorsement of Lee, a family friend who appointed him as state agriculture commissioner.
ANDY OGLES STARES DOWN COMPETITIVE PRIMARY AFTER CASH BARRAGE
Another factor in the race was the redrawing of Tennessee’s congressional map, which dramatically reshaped the 5th District.
The redraw put Ogles in largely unfamiliar territory. The new 5th District, which stretches from Memphis, along the Mississippi River to the Kentucky border before dipping into Middle Tennessee, retained just 17% of the previous iteration, which included parts of Nashville and was concentrated in the central part of the state, according to Inside Elections.
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