United States Congressman Andy Ogles has lost the Republican primary in Tennessee to Charlie Hatcher, the state’s former agricultural commissioner, despite receiving President Donald Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” on Thursday.
With nearly 90 percent of votes counted, Hatcher held a 6.6-point lead over Ogles. Hatcher will face Chaz Molder, the Democratic mayor of Columbia, in November.
At a glance:
- Ogles was first elected to Congress in 2022 and was running in a redrawn Tennessee district.
- Hatcher also presented himself as pro-Trump and received a late endorsement from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.
- The district favours Republicans, while Democrats are seeking gains in November amid discontent over the economy and the war on Iran.
- Ogles is the second Trump-endorsed candidate to lose a Republican primary this week, after Amir Hassan lost in Michigan on Tuesday.
A setback for a Trump-backed incumbent
Ogles’s defeat is a rare instance in which Trump’s endorsement failed to deliver in a Republican primary. Trump praised Ogles earlier on Thursday, but Hatcher maintained his lead as most ballots were counted.
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Hatcher had also portrayed himself as supportive of Trump. His late endorsement from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee added another prominent Republican backing to his campaign.
Ogles’s record of anti-Muslim remarks
Ogles has faced condemnation from across the political spectrum over comments targeting Muslims. In March, he wrote on X: “Muslims don’t belong in American society. Pluralism is a lie.”
In 2024, when an activist asked whether he had seen footage of Palestinian children killed by US-funded bombs, Ogles said, “I think we should kill them all,” then clarified, “Everybody in Hamas.” Hatcher rejected that rhetoric in June, saying Muslim American citizens and Muslim soldiers in the US Army could be good, law-abiding people and warriors.
More context: Trump asks Supreme Court to reinstate mail-in voting restrictions ahead of November elections.
What happens next in the district
Hatcher will meet Molder in the November general election. Republicans had redrawn the district’s boundaries to help the party retain its majority in the US House of Representatives.
The district favours Republicans, but Democrats are attempting to capitalise on economic discontent and opposition to the war on Iran to flip seats nationwide. All 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats will be contested in November.
Questions readers ask
Who won the Republican primary against Andy Ogles?
Charlie Hatcher, Tennessee’s former agricultural commissioner, defeated Ogles. With nearly 90 percent of votes counted, Hatcher led by 6.6 points.
Who will Charlie Hatcher face in November?
Hatcher will face Chaz Molder, the Democratic mayor of Columbia, a city south of Nashville.
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