A clean-energy super PAC backed by a billionaire Democratic donor is unleashing a multimillion-dollar advertising barrage against one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Congress—just days before Tennessee Republicans choose their nominee.
The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition has spent approximately $1.3 million opposing Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., and promoting his Republican challenger, former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. The group recently committed another $700,000 for the closing days of the campaign, bringing its total investment in the race to roughly $2 million, according to Fox News Digital and Axios.
Ogles argues the onslaught is no ordinary primary intervention.
“When you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they’re making off of government subsidies,” Ogles told Fox News Digital.
The Tennessee Republican accused renewable-energy interests of attempting to punish him for supporting the rollback of Biden-era tax credits and subsidies.
“They’re upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them,” he added.
Democratic Megadonor Fuels PAC
Federal Election Commission records show the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition raised nearly $6.8 million through June 30, despite registering with the agency only in January. The super PAC reported more than $5.1 million in cash on hand at the end of that period, according to its FEC filings.
Fox News Digital reported that $6 million of the PAC’s funding came from Chris Larsen, the California billionaire who co-founded the cryptocurrency company Ripple.
Larsen has an extensive history of supporting Democratic candidates and organizations. His previous donations include millions for the super PAC that backed Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, along with contributions benefiting Democratic congressional committees, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Jane Fonda Climate PAC.
Axios also identified Larsen as a major supporter of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The billionaire has made climate activism a central focus of his philanthropy and has invested in climate-technology companies and funds. Ogles, however, says the spending in Tennessee is intended to send a warning to other Republicans who oppose federal energy subsidies.
Invest in Tomorrow Coalition Chairman Tom Matzzie made clear that the group sees Ogles as part of a broader political campaign.
“Our campaign is here to show that politicians who oppose clean energy do so at their own political peril,” Matzzie, who also serves as CEO of the solar company CleanChoice Energy, told Axios. “Andy Ogles is next.”
Trump Rallies Behind Ogles
Ogles, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, has repeatedly voted to reverse renewable-energy initiatives enacted under former President Joe Biden.
But he believes his close relationship with Trump has also placed a target on his back.
“It’s because I’m close to the president,” Ogles told Fox News Digital. “It is because I am outspoken.”
Trump has endorsed Ogles and held a late-campaign tele-rally encouraging Tennessee Republicans to support him. The president described Ogles as a loyal ally who has “always been there when we needed him.”
“As the Trump-endorsed candidate in this race, I am being targeted by left-wing liberals from California because I am one of President Trump’s closest allies,” Ogles said separately in a statement obtained by Axios.
Ogles still faces a potentially dangerous contest.
A poll commissioned by the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition found Ogles leading Hatcher 37% to 33%, with approximately 30% undecided. The survey questioned 400 likely Republican primary voters and carried a five-point margin of error—making the race a statistical dead heat.
The poll was paid for by a group actively working to defeat Ogles and should be viewed in that context.
Hatcher has also out-raised the incumbent. Axios reported that Hatcher collected approximately $720,000 through July 17, compared with $610,000 for Ogles. Hatcher entered the final stretch with $105,000 available, while Ogles had $58,000 and approximately $70,000 in campaign debt.
The challenger has secured endorsements from former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and former Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. His background as a farmer and former state agriculture commissioner could also prove valuable after redistricting shifted the 5th District toward more rural and agricultural communities.
Ogles faced another well-funded primary challenge in 2024 but prevailed with 56.5% of the vote, according to Ballotpedia.
Energy Fight Reaches The Ballot Box
Ogles maintains that he supports an “all-of-the-above” energy policy but opposes allowing Washington to select favored industries through subsidies.
“I’m not against solar,” he told Fox News Digital, explaining that he had considered installing panels on his own farm. “But I don’t want a government subsidy to make it work.”
With the national debt approaching $40 trillion, Ogles argued that taxpayers should not be forced to underwrite investments that cannot survive in the private market.
Invest in Tomorrow’s spending campaign suggests renewable-energy executives intend to make that position politically costly—not only for Ogles, but for other Republicans watching the Tennessee race.
Early voting concluded Saturday, Aug. 1. The Republican primary will be decided Thursday, Aug. 6.
