Trump-Endorsed Rep. Andy Ogles Loses Tennessee GOP Primary Under New Redrawn Map
On Thursday, August 6, 2026, the Associated Press projected that two-term Rep. Andy Ogles lost the Republican primary for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District to former state agriculture commissioner Charlie Hatcher.[1]
With just over 80% of the vote counted, Ogles trailed Hatcher by just over six percentage points.[1] The defeat marked a second loss that week for a congressional candidate backed by former President Donald Trump.[1] Hatcher had been endorsed by outgoing Gov. Bill Lee and former Gov. Bill Haslam.[2]
This spring, Tennessee Republicans enacted a new congressional map that broke apart the Democratic-controlled 9th District and made the 5th more Republican, leaving Ogles running on unfamiliar terrain with a substantially new Republican primary electorate.[3] The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition is a clean-energy super PAC funded largely by California donor Chris Larsen.[3] It spent roughly $1 million against Ogles and for Hatcher, then bought about $700,000 more in ads ahead of the primary.[3] Ogles accused the group of targeting him for opposing Biden-era clean-energy subsidies and said his alignment with Trump also made him a target.[3] Ogles also faced backlash in March after saying "Muslims don't belong in American society," a controversy raised repeatedly during the campaign.[2]
Initial reports focused on the upset itself and noted it as another sign of limits to Trump endorsements in some GOP contests.[1] Later reporting dug deeper into how Tennessee's redistricting and outside spending reshaped the race, a narrative shift emphasized by Fox News.[3]
Hatcher, a dairy farmer who aligned his messaging with Trump and who was backed by establishment Republicans, is widely viewed as favored to win the deep-red seat in November.[2]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, August 6, 2026, the Associated Press projected that two-term Representative Andy Ogles lost the Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District to former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher (Rep. Andy Ogles).
- With just over 80% of the vote counted on Thursday, August 6, 2026, Ogles trailed Hatcher by just over six percentage points, according to results compiled by the Associated Press (just over 80% of the vote).
- Charlie Hatcher, a former state agriculture commissioner and dairy farmer, was endorsed by outgoing Gov. Bill Lee and former Gov. Bill Haslam as he sought the Republican nomination (Charlie Hatcher).
- Tennessee’s Republican-led redistricting this spring dramatically reshaped the 5th District — breaking apart the Democratic-controlled 9th District and making the 5th more Republican in a push to shift the delegation from 8-1 GOP to 9-0 — leaving Ogles running on what was described as 'unfamiliar terrain' with a substantially new Republican primary electorate (the 5th District).
- The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a clean-energy super PAC largely funded by California donor Chris Larsen, spent roughly $1 million against Ogles and for Hatcher and then purchased an additional $700,000 in ads ahead of the August 6 primary; Ogles accused the group of targeting him for opposing Biden-era clean-energy subsidies and suggested his alignment with President Trump also made him a target (Invest in Tomorrow Coalition).
- Ogles faced backlash in March 2026 from advocacy groups and fellow lawmakers after saying 'Muslims don’t belong in American society,' a controversy highlighted during coverage of the primary (Rep. Andy Ogles).
- CBS noted that Ogles’s defeat was the second loss in the same week for a congressional candidate backed by President Trump, underscoring limits to Trump endorsements in some GOP primaries (CBS News).
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Fox News reports that Tennessee Republicans this spring enacted a new congressional map that broke apart the Democratic-controlled 9th District and aims to shift the delegation from 8-1 GOP to 9-0 by making the 5th District more Republican.
- The article notes that Ogles was running on "unfamiliar terrain" because the 5th District was dramatically redrawn, leaving him with a substantially new Republican primary electorate.
- It adds that the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a clean-energy super PAC largely funded by California crypto billionaire and Democratic donor Chris Larsen, spent roughly $1 million against Ogles and for Hatcher, then bought an additional $700,000 in ads ahead of the August 6, 2026 primary.
- Ogles publicly accused the super PAC of targeting him for opposing Biden-era clean-energy subsidies and suggested his close alignment with Trump also made him a target.
- Article confirms again that on Thursday, August 6, 2026, Rep. Andy Ogles lost the Republican primary in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District to former state agriculture commissioner and dairy farmer Charlie Hatcher.
- It specifies that Hatcher was endorsed by outgoing Gov. Bill Lee and former Gov. Bill Haslam, describing them as prominent establishment Republicans in Tennessee.
- The piece highlights that Ogles faced backlash in March 2026 from advocacy groups and fellow lawmakers after he said 'Muslims don’t belong in American society.'
- The article notes Tennessee’s Republican-led redistricting significantly reshaped the 5th District by bringing in new communities and voters ahead of the primary.
- It reiterates that Hatcher’s campaign messaging closely aligned with President Trump, calling Trump 'the most impactful president of our lifetime' and saying he 'needs some help from a farmer’s work-hard mentality,' and that Hatcher is favored to win the deep-red district in November.
- On Thursday, August 6, 2026, the Associated Press projected that two-term Rep. Andy Ogles lost the Republican primary for his Tennessee House seat to former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher.
- With just over 80% of the vote counted on August 6, 2026, Ogles trailed Hatcher by just over six percentage points, according to results compiled by the Associated Press.
- CBS notes this is the second loss in the same week for a congressional candidate backed by President Trump, whose endorsements usually carry significant weight in GOP primaries.