Andy Ogles, one of Trump’s biggest MAGA supporters, just lost his Republican primary in Tennessee

Tennessee Republican Primary: Charlie Hatcher Defeats Incumbent Andy Ogles in Newly Redrawn 5th District

A Republican primary in Tennessee resulted in U.S. Representative Andy Ogles losing to former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher on Thursday. The outcome occurred in a significantly redrawn congressional district following changes approved by state lawmakers in May. The new House map followed a Supreme Court decision that altered federal Voting Rights Act enforcement standards regarding minority voting protections. Republicans hold eight of Tennessee’s nine congressional seats and have stated goals of winning all nine in November.

President Donald Trump had endorsed Ogles early in the cycle and described him as “a Conservative Warrior” during the campaign for a third term. Hatcher did not receive Trump’s endorsement but was backed by Republican Governor Bill Lee, under whom Hatcher served for seven years. Hatcher presented his campaign as aligned with Trump priorities and highlighted his agricultural experience. After the results, Hatcher told the Associated Press that voters responded to a message of practical work and service. Ogles’ campaign did not issue a statement on the outcome.

The 5th District now stretches from central Tennessee through the northwest corner and south along the Mississippi River to Memphis. An estimated 82 percent of voters in the district are new to it. The previous 2022 map had altered a formerly Democratic-leaning seat to favor Republicans by dividing the Nashville area. Ogles, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, had won that earlier version of the seat.

Ogles faced questions during the campaign about campaign finance reporting and his academic credentials. In 2023 he acknowledged inaccuracies in statements about his college degree. In 2024 the FBI seized his cellphone as part of a federal investigation into campaign finance disclosures. The Justice Department returned the device in May 2026 and filed no charges, indicating the investigation had concluded.

Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder won the Democratic primary for the 5th District. In a separate Memphis-area contest, voters chose candidates for another reconfigured district. State Senator Brent Taylor, who received Trump’s endorsement, will face Democratic state Representative Justin Pearson in the general election for the new 9th District. Pearson drew national attention after his expulsion from the Tennessee House for participating in a protest supporting gun control measures; voters later returned him to office in a special election. The revised 9th District extends roughly 200 miles east from Memphis across rural counties and now includes areas north toward Nashville. It contains an estimated 71 percent new voters and leans Republican under the updated lines. Longtime Democratic Representative Steve Cohen announced he would not seek reelection after the map changes.

Pearson spoke to supporters on Thursday, noting the date marked 61 years since the Voting Rights Act signing. He stated that recent court rulings and state legislative actions have reduced certain protections under the act and altered the composition of the former majority-Black district. Taylor described Pearson as representing an activist approach that prioritizes disruption over stability. The candidates differ on issues including the deployment of National Guard troops to Memphis last year, which Taylor supported and Pearson opposed. Taylor also sponsored 2024 legislation requiring local law enforcement to coordinate with federal immigration authorities on individuals present unlawfully.

Memphis, the largest city in Shelby County, had formed the core of its own congressional district for decades. The new map divides the county across three districts that extend into surrounding rural areas. Some residents expressed concerns that the changes reduce the influence of urban voters. Retired postal worker Lonzo Taylor, 72, said the previous single district for the area had provided clearer representation. Educator Terrice Thomas, 45, noted she had been moved from the 9th to the 8th District and questioned whether representatives would adequately address differing community needs across the expanded geography.

In other primaries, Sen. Marsha Blackburn defeated challenger Rose for the Republican nomination to succeed term-limited Governor Bill Lee. Memphis City Council member Jerri Green won the Democratic primary in her contest. The redistricting process and primary results will shape the November general election contests across the nine districts.