Ogles loses Republican primary to Charlie Hatcher
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Rep. Andy Ogles. Photo: Heather Diehl/Getty Images
Former Tennessee agriculture official Charlie Hatcher ousted Trump-backed U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles to win the District 5 House Republican primary election on Thursday.
Why it matters: A primary loss is rare for an incumbent member of Congress, especially a Republican backed by President Trump.
- Ogles, who took office in 2023, was dogged by scandals, such as misrepresenting his resume and failing to explain a personal loan on his campaign finance reports.
Zoom in: A tractor-full of outside money, mostly from a clean energy group, and some prominent Republican endorsements boosted Hatcher's campaign.
- On the other hand, Ogles struggled on the fundraising front despite Trump's support.
- Gov. Bill Lee and former Gov. Bill Haslam endorsed Hatcher.
Between the lines: Ogles' four years in Congress have been marked by bombastic statements that received backlash from both sides of the aisle.
- Ogles called for the denaturalization and deportation of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
- Following an immigration raid in Nashville last year, he requested a federal investigation of Mayor Freddie O'Connell, but the inquiry apparently never went anywhere.
- After conservatives criticized this year's Super Bowl halftime show, Ogles called for a congressional investigation into the NFL.
- Although crime has been declining in Nashville, Ogles asked for the National Guard to be deployed here.
- He recently said "Muslims don't belong in American society."
What's next: Hatcher will face Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, who won the Democratic primary, in the general election on Nov. 3.