Trump-backed Rep. Andy Ogles loses Tennessee primary to Charlie Hatcher

Rep. Andy Ogles lost the Republican primary for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected, handing former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher the GOP nomination despite President Donald Trump's endorsement of the incumbent.

The defeat set up a sharp intraparty split in Tennessee politics. Gov. Bill Lee endorsed Hatcher on Aug. 5, making the race a public clash between the state’s top Republican and a congressman closely aligned with Trump. Hatcher also told reporters he would support Trump’s agenda if elected.

Local forces, however, appeared to matter just as much as national backing. The Tennessean reported that only 17% of the district’s original constituents remained after redistricting, a change that made Tennessee's 5th Congressional District far less familiar terrain for an incumbent who normally would have benefited from name recognition. The district is part of a newly redrawn Memphis-area congressional map that debuted in the 2026 primary.

Ogles also carried significant baggage into the contest. The Washington Post said he faced a federal investigation into campaign finance inconsistencies and criticism over anti-Muslim rhetoric. The New York Times noted that he had drawn backlash even within his own party over anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric, a vulnerability that narrowed his room for error in a district with new boundaries and shifting voters.

The spending around the race underscored how competitive it had become. Axios reported a late cash barrage aimed at Ogles, and Fox News described a $1.3 million effort to oust him. Against that backdrop, Hatcher was able to pitch himself as a more stable alternative, while Lee described him in a Facebook video as a longtime friend who had worked as a veterinarian for Lee’s cattle operation.

For Trump, Ogles’ loss offers an early stress test of his endorsement power in 2026. In this race, the combination of redistricting, candidate liabilities and a well-financed challenge outweighed the backing of the former president.