Tennessee Voters Oust Trump-Backed Andy Ogles in Republican House Primary/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated Trump-backed Rep. Andy Ogles in a rare primary rejection of the president’s chosen candidate. In the newly redrawn Memphis-area district, Democratic Rep. Justin Pearson will face Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor in November. The primaries provided the first electoral test of a Republican congressional map that dismantled Tennessee’s only majority-Black district.
Quick Look
- Charlie Hatcher defeated Rep. Andy Ogles in the Republican primary.
- Trump endorsed Ogles and called him “a Conservative Warrior.”
- Republican Gov. Bill Lee supported Hatcher.
- Hatcher will face Democrat Chaz Molder in November.
- Justin Pearson won the Democratic primary in the redrawn 9th District.
- Trump-backed Brent Taylor won the Republican nomination.
- The new 9th District now favors Republicans.
- Approximately 71% of its voters are new to the district.
- Tennessee Republicans redrew the congressional map in May.
- The former majority-Black Memphis district was divided among three districts.
- Republicans currently hold eight of Tennessee’s nine House seats.
- Johnny Garrett won the GOP primary for the open 6th District.
- Mike Croley won the Democratic nomination in that district.
- Marsha Blackburn defeated John Rose in the Republican governor primary.
- Democrat Jerri Green also won her gubernatorial primary.
- Sen. Bill Hagerty will face Democrat Marquita Bradshaw in November.
Deep Look
Trump-Backed Ogles Loses Tennessee Primary
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in Thursday’s Republican primary for a dramatically reconfigured congressional district.
The result marked a rare defeat for a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Ogles, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, was seeking a third term in Congress.
Hatcher Wins Reshaped 5th District
Tennessee’s new 5th Congressional District bears little resemblance to the seat Ogles previously represented.
It stretches from his political base in central Tennessee to the state’s northwestern corner before running south along the Mississippi River toward Memphis.
Approximately 82% of the district’s voters are new, according to an Associated Press estimate.
The large share of unfamiliar constituents weakened the advantages Ogles normally would have enjoyed as an incumbent.
Trump Praised Ogles on Election Day
Trump endorsed Ogles early in the campaign last fall.
On Election Day, he again promoted the congressman, calling him “a Conservative Warrior.”
The endorsement was not enough to overcome Hatcher’s support from Gov. Bill Lee and his appeal to rural and agricultural voters.
Hatcher Campaigns as Pro-Trump Farmer
Hatcher presented himself as a Trump supporter despite running against the president’s endorsed candidate.
He emphasized his background in agriculture and his experience serving seven years in Lee’s administration.
“The message resonated, and the message was: Work like a farmer, get things done and serve others,” Hatcher told the AP after winning the primary.
Ogles’ campaign declined to comment on the result.
Ogles Previously Benefited From Redistricting
Ogles first entered Congress after Tennessee Republicans redrew the map ahead of the 2022 elections.
That map divided the Nashville area among three districts and transformed a Democratic-held seat into one favoring Republicans.
The 2026 redistricting again changed Ogles’ constituency, but this time the new boundaries contributed to his primary defeat.
Controversies Followed Ogles
Ogles faced questions about his campaign finances and professional background.
The FBI seized his cellphone in 2024 as part of an investigation into his campaign finance reporting.
The Justice Department recently agreed to return the device, indicating that it was ending the investigation launched during the Biden administration.
Ogles Corrected Education Claims
Ogles also faced scrutiny over how he had described his college degree.
In 2023, he acknowledged graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in liberal studies.
He said he had been “mistaken” when he previously described the degree as being in international relations.
Hatcher Faces Molder in November
Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder won the Democratic primary in the 5th District.
He will face Hatcher in the November general election.
The district’s Republican lean makes Hatcher the favorite, but Molder will seek to capitalize on the extensive changes to its boundaries and electorate.
Pearson and Taylor Win Memphis Primaries
Voters also selected the two candidates who will compete in Tennessee’s redrawn 9th Congressional District.
Democratic state Rep. Justin Pearson will face Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor.
Pearson gained national attention after Republican lawmakers expelled him from the Tennessee House for joining a gun-control protest. Voters later returned him to office.
Trump endorsed Taylor in the Republican primary.
New 9th District Favors Republicans
The reconfigured 9th District begins in Memphis and extends approximately 200 miles, or 320 kilometers, east across rural areas before reaching north toward Nashville.
The previous district favored Democrats and contained a majority-Black population.
The new boundaries give Republicans an advantage.
Approximately 71% of voters are new to the district, according to an AP estimate.
Cohen Retires After Redistricting
Longtime Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen chose not to seek reelection after the district was redrawn.
Cohen had represented the Memphis-based seat for years.
His retirement created an open race in a district where the Democratic nominee now faces a much more difficult path in November.
Pearson Invokes Voting Rights Act
Pearson addressed supporters Thursday on the 61st anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act.
He argued that recent Supreme Court rulings and the Tennessee map had weakened the political power of Black voters.
“The political dilution and degradation of our rights is happening,” Pearson said.
Despite the challenge, he told supporters: “We’re one step closer to Washington, D.C.”
Taylor Calls Pearson Extreme
Taylor portrayed Pearson as outside Tennessee’s political mainstream.
Taylor said in a statement to supporters that “Pearson is the face of the extreme left in this race — the same activist who has repeatedly put chaos over order.”
The campaign is expected to focus heavily on crime, immigration, gun policy, civil rights and Trump’s agenda.
Candidates Divided Over National Guard Deployment
Pearson opposed Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Memphis in 2025 as part of a crime-fighting operation.
Taylor and other Tennessee Republicans supported the deployment.
Taylor described the federal intervention as “an investment.”
Taylor Backed Immigration Enforcement Law
Taylor sponsored a 2024 law requiring state and local law enforcement agencies to communicate with federal immigration authorities.
The requirement applies when officers determine that someone is in the country illegally.
The measure offers another contrast with Pearson in a district combining urban Memphis communities with conservative rural areas.
New Map Divides Memphis Voters
For decades, Memphis and most of Shelby County formed the foundation of a single congressional district.
The new map splits the county among three districts.
Each extends outward from Memphis into rural and more heavily Republican areas, resembling spokes from the city.
Black Voters Say Their Influence Was Diluted
Lonzo Taylor, a 72-year-old retired postal worker and military veteran, said the new map reduced Black voters’ political power.
“We only had one district in the whole state of Tennessee, and you don’t even want that to be fair? It’s just terrible,” said Taylor, 72. “I love this state, but I am very disappointed in our governor,” who called lawmakers into a special session for the redistricting.
Voters Worry Memphis Could Be Overlooked
Terrice Thomas, a 45-year-old educator and Democratic voter, was shifted from the 9th District into the 8th.
She said the change required her to research an unfamiliar group of candidates.
Thomas also questioned whether representatives from the new districts would give sufficient attention to Memphis communities.
“Is everybody going to have an equal say on what’s happening in their communities or even the people that you’re voting for?” Thomas said. “Are they going to really take into account the different areas and what makes us unique?”
New Map Follows Supreme Court Ruling
The primaries were the first held under a congressional map enacted by Republican state lawmakers in May.
The redistricting followed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minority voters.
Trump supported the map as part of a broader national Republican effort to preserve the party’s narrow House majority.
Republicans Seek All Nine House Seats
Republicans currently hold eight of Tennessee’s nine seats in the U.S. House.
The party hopes to win the newly reconfigured 9th District and complete a sweep of the state’s congressional delegation.
Democrats will attempt to preserve representation through Pearson’s campaign against Taylor.
Garrett Wins Open 6th District Primary
Rep. John Rose declined to seek reelection in Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District so he could run for governor.
His decision created an open race in the Republican-leaning seat east of Nashville.
State Rep. Johnny Garrett won the Republican primary.
The field included former Rep. Van Hilleary, who recently served as Rose’s chief of staff.
Croley Wins Democratic Nomination
Mike Croley won a five-candidate Democratic primary in the 6th District.
He will face Garrett in November.
Because the district favors Republicans, Garrett enters the general election as the leading candidate.
Blackburn Wins Republican Governor Primary
Sen. Marsha Blackburn defeated Rose in the Republican primary for governor.
The winner in November will succeed Lee, who cannot seek another term because of term limits.
Memphis City Council member Jerri Green won the Democratic nomination.
Republicans have controlled the Tennessee governor’s office since 2011.
Hagerty Advances to Senate Election
Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty won his primary without opposition.
He will face Marquita Bradshaw, the Democratic nominee, in November.
Republicans have won every U.S. Senate election in Tennessee since 1994, making Hagerty a strong favorite for reelection.
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