Rep. Andy Ogles Loses Primary in Tennessee to Charlie Hatcher

Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee has lost his Republican primary. NBC News projects that Charlie Hatcher, a former state agricultural commissioner, defeated Ogles. This primary season has seen an unusually high number of incumbents losing renomination.

Hatcher, supported by prominent establishment Republicans, won the seat. He is expected to win in the general election in the deep-red district. During a campaign event in Franklin, Tennessee, Hatcher addressed the audience, emphasizing his connection to local voters and prominent figures.

Ogles was outspent significantly, facing a large advertising campaign from a pro-clean energy group. Despite having President Donald Trump’s endorsement, Ogles struggled against Hatcher’s broader backing, including Gov. Bill Lee, former Gov. Bill Haslam, and former Trump Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.

Ogles has been involved in various controversies. He stated that Muslims shouldn’t be part of American society and removed a homophobic post from social media, blaming a staff member. He suggested revoking future New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s citizenship and faced campaign finance investigation. Although the Justice Department seized and later returned his cellphone, he has not faced charges.

Hatcher maintained a pro-Trump stance and sought to differentiate himself from Ogles by highlighting action over rhetoric. His campaign emphasized the need for more effective representation in Congress.

This defeat makes Ogles the ninth House member — six Democrats and three Republicans — to lose a primary this year. It marks the highest number in a nondecennial redistricting year since 1970, based on data from Vital Statistics on Congress. Additionally, Republican Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas lost their primaries. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas also finished second and decided to resign before a GOP runoff.