Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) lost his Republican primary to former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, dealing a rare defeat to an incumbent backed by President Donald Trump and making Ogles the latest House member to fall in a bruising 2026 primary season.
The Associated Press projected Hatcher the winner in Tennessee’s newly redrawn 5th Congressional District after he built a roughly six-point lead over Ogles.
Hatcher Overcomes Trump Endorsement
Ogles entered the race with Trump’s endorsement and a reputation as one of the more combative members of the House Freedom Caucus.
Hatcher, however, assembled his own roster of prominent Republican supporters, including Gov. Bill Lee and former Gov. Bill Haslam. He campaigned as broadly supportive of Trump while arguing that the heavily agricultural district needed a more effective and locally focused representative.
“The message resonated, and the message was: Work like a farmer, get things done and serve others,” Hatcher told the AP after his victory.
The redrawn district also presented Ogles with an unusual challenge: according to the AP, roughly 82% of voters in the new 5th District were new to him after Tennessee lawmakers reshaped the congressional map earlier this year.
Outside Money Played Major Role
Hatcher benefited from a significant late infusion of outside spending.
The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a clean energy super PAC, poured roughly $2 million into the contest, including a $700,000 advertising push in the final week. The group targeted Ogles over his support for rolling back clean energy tax incentives.
The spending helped turn what once appeared to be a comfortable Ogles advantage into a genuine contest. By late July, betting markets and internal polling were showing the race tightening.
Ogles accused the group of improperly interfering in the Republican primary and portrayed the spending as an effort by outside liberal interests to punish him for his conservative record.
Controversies Followed Ogles
Ogles also entered the primary carrying political baggage from his four years in Congress.
He drew repeated criticism for inflammatory public statements and was the subject of a federal investigation into his campaign finance reporting. The FBI seized his cellphone in 2024 as part of that inquiry, although the Justice Department later moved to return the device, signaling that the investigation was being abandoned. He was never charged with a crime.
Ogles also faced scrutiny over discrepancies in descriptions of his educational background and made national headlines for some of his statements on immigration, Islam and political opponents.
Rare Defeat for a Trump-Endorsed Republican
Hatcher’s victory is especially notable because Trump personally backed Ogles and praised him as a “Conservative Warrior” on Election Day.
Trump’s endorsement remains highly influential in Republican primaries, making Ogles’ defeat an uncommon example of GOP voters rejecting an incumbent despite the president’s support.
The result also underscores that endorsements alone cannot always overcome a combination of redistricting, weak fundraising, well-funded opposition and local dissatisfaction.
Hatcher Heavily Favored in November
Hatcher will now face Democratic nominee and Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder in the Nov. 3 general election.
The district remains solidly Republican, making Hatcher the clear favorite heading into November.
His victory also adds to an unusually turbulent year for House incumbents. Ogles is among several sitting members of Congress who have lost primaries in 2026, highlighting growing voter willingness in both parties to replace incumbents rather than automatically return them to Washington.
