Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated Trump-backed U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in the Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District on August 6, winning 53.2% of the vote to Ogles’ 46.8% in a rare rejection of a Trump-endorsed candidate in 2026.
Hatcher, a farmer and former state veterinarian, campaigned as a “work horse” alternative to what he characterized as Ogles’ “show horse” approach. Although he lacked Trump’s endorsement, Hatcher was backed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee, under whom he had served for seven years as agriculture commissioner. “The message resonated, and the message was: Work like a farmer, get things done and serve others,” Hatcher told the Associated Press after winning.
Ogles, a two-term member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, had faced multiple controversies during his tenure in Congress. In 2024, the FBI seized his cellphone as part of an investigation into his campaign finance reporting; the Justice Department recently agreed to return the device, signaling it was abandoning the probe. In 2023, Ogles acknowledged that he had graduated with a liberal studies degree from Middle Tennessee State University, saying he was “mistaken” for previously describing it as an international relations degree.
The primary outcome was shaped significantly by redistricting. In May 2026, Republican state lawmakers redrew Tennessee’s congressional maps after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minorities. The new 5th District stretches from Ogles’ base in central Tennessee to the northwest corner of the state before snaking south along the Mississippi River to Memphis. According to an Associated Press estimate, 82% of voters in the new district were new to it, forcing Ogles to campaign in a largely unfamiliar electorate.
Trump’s endorsement record and Hatcher’s path to victory
Ogles’ defeat marks only the second time a Trump-endorsed candidate lost a Republican primary in 2026, according to reporting from multiple outlets. Trump had endorsed candidates in all nine of Tennessee’s congressional district primary races; Ogles was the only one who did not advance. Trump later explained the loss on Truth Social, saying “Last night was another good night for Endorsements, 8-1, and the 1 was a person who I remained loyal to even though he had virtually no chance of winning.” Trump then gave Hatcher his “complete and total endorsement” for the general election against Democratic challenger Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder.
Outside groups also shaped the race. An outside political action committee targeting Ogles for his actions against renewable energy development poured $2 million into advertising supporting Hatcher or opposing Ogles since mid-May. Meanwhile, the Freedom Caucus Fund, affiliated with the hard-right U.S. House Freedom Caucus, spent more than $810,000 on media and robocalls supporting Ogles or opposing Hatcher, and helped pay for a Trump tele-rally in the candidate’s support.
Hatcher performed strongest in the district’s agricultural counties, earning 60% majorities in Dyer and Weakley counties. He secured about 55% of votes in Williamson County, the most populated county in the district and his home base, which provided nearly one-third of his total 36,544 winning votes.
Sources
- PBS NewsHour — Hatcher’s victory, redistricting impact, and Ogles’ controversies
- Tennessee Lookout — Final vote totals, campaign spending, county-by-county results, and Trump’s post-election statement
- NBC News — Primary results and vote percentages
- Washington Post — Bill Lee’s endorsement timing and Ogles’ margin of defeat
