{"id":2641999,"date":"2026-08-07T18:49:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:49:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-backed-rep-andy-ogles-loses-primary-after-green-energy-group-spent-big-to-unseat-him\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T18:51:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:51:02","slug":"trump-backed-rep-andy-ogles-loses-primary-after-green-energy-group-spent-big-to-unseat-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-backed-rep-andy-ogles-loses-primary-after-green-energy-group-spent-big-to-unseat-him\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump-Backed Rep. Andy Ogles Loses Primary After Green Energy Group Spent Big to Unseat Him"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-backed-rep-andy-ogles-loses-primary-after-green-energy-group-spent-big-to-unseat-him%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2641999&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee,a Republican backed by President Donald Trump,was defeated in his primary after a super PAC focused on green energy spent approximately $2 million against him. Ogles, who had previously received boosts from Trump praising his efforts, lost to Charlie Hatcher, a former state Agriculture Commissioner. Trump indicated his support for hatcher moving forward,highlighting Hatcher&#8217;s alignment with Trump&#8217;s agenda and expressing confidence in his chances in the November election. The super PAC that opposed Ogles was funded by billionaire Chris Larsen and raised $6.7 million this year, reflecting meaningful external influence in the race. Ogles criticized the super PAC\u2019s spending, suggesting it was driven by financial motives related to government subsidies. Hatcher, supported by several Tennessee officials, is favored to win in the upcoming general election and campaigned on supporting Trump\u2019s policies.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, a Republican, was defeated in his primary campaign after a PAC devoted to green energy spent heavily against him.<\/p>\n<p>Ogles, who had the backing of President Donald Trump, lost his primary to former state Agricultural Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/trump-backed-incumbent-loses-primary-super-pac-bankrolled-dems-meddled-race.amp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Trump quickly expressed his willingness to back Hatcher in the general election.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLast night was another good night for Endorsements, 8-1,\u201d Trump posted on <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/117054989318193595\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Trump, who <a href=\"https:\/\/tennesseelookout.com\/2026\/08\/07\/after-ogles-primary-defeat-trump-flips-endorsement-to-hatcher-for-tennessees-5th-district\/\">endorsed candidates<\/a> in all nine of Tennessee\u2019s congressional districts, added that \u201cthe 1 was a person who I remained loyal to even though he had virtually no chance of winning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump did not mention Ogles by name, but said the one unsuccessful candidate he backed \u201cwas running against a Great \u2018Trump\u2019 Candidate, and former Agricultural Commissioner of Tennessee, named Charlie Hatcher.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Trump says he backed Andy Ogles \u201ceven though he had virtually no chance of winning\u201d: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0JqQwaihXW\">pic.twitter.com\/0JqQwaihXW<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PatrickSvitek\/status\/2085754754047611125?\">August 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cGood luck Charlie! Run tough and hard. You have my Complete and Total Endorsement!\u201d Trump posted.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to the primary, Trump praised Ogles as \u201cone of the best congressmen that you\u2019ll ever see,\u201d according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/trump-backed-incumbent-loses-primary-super-pac-bankrolled-dems-meddled-race.amp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition super PAC spent about $2 million against Ogles, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/top-trump-ally-warns-super-pac-bankrolled-dem-billionaire-meddling-gop-primary\">Fox News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The group has raised $6.7 million this year, making Ogles a major target.<\/p>\n<p>Chris Larsen, a California-based billionaire, had bankrolled the super PAC. He was also a major donor supporting former Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019s 2024 presidential campaign.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they\u2019re making off of government subsidies, and they\u2019re upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them,\u201d Ogles said before the election.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf trying to build an energy sector that is self-reliant, because it\u2019s a national security issue, makes me an extremist, then so be it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Hatcher is favored to win in November, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/2026-election\/rep-andy-ogles-loses-republican-primary-tennessee-rcna591185\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NBC News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The candidate had the support of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, former Gov. Bill Haslam and former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.<\/p>\n<p>Hatcher campaigned by saying he would support Trump\u2019s agenda better than Ogles could ever do.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThink what President Trump could do if our congressman spent less time talking and more time doing,\u201d Hatcher\u2019s website said.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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Andy Ogles, a Republican supported by Trump, lost his primary after a green energy PAC heavily opposed him; Hatcher, a former Agriculture Commissioner, won instead<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2642000,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-08-07T175907.341.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[36962,45246,32941,3634],"class_list":["post-2641999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-andy-ogles","tag-green-energy","tag-primary-loss","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-08-07T175907.341.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641999","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2641999"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641999\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2642002,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641999\/revisions\/2642002"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2642000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2641999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2641999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2641999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}