Rep. Andy Ogles, a two-term Republican from Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District who had the backing of President Donald Trump, entered Thursday’s GOP primary viewed by many observers as the favorite in a race widely seen as competitive.
But Ogles’ bid for a third term came to an abrupt end when former Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Charlie Hatcher defeated him by roughly 53% to 47%. Hatcher, a farmer, benefited from substantial financial support tied to renewable energy interests.
Breaking: Rep. Andy Ogles has lost the Republican primary in Tennessee’s 5th District to well-funded challenger Charlie Hatcher, according to DDHQ.
Ogles WILL be missed. He repeatedly called out the Islamic invasion, knows America is a Christian nation and filed to impeach rogue judges!… pic.twitter.com/c9rPLUEnfy
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 7, 2026
The result marks a major upset in the Tennessee GOP primary, ending Ogles’ path to the general election despite Trump’s endorsement and his established profile among conservative voters.
Ogles had built his congressional brand around hard-line positions on immigration, criticism of federal judges he viewed as overreaching, and warnings about radical Islam, making him a prominent voice on the party’s right flank.
The contest also unfolded in a district that had been redrawn for the 2026 election cycle, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already closely watched primary.
While Ogles remained a polarizing figure, his supporters credited him with aggressively championing conservative priorities. Trump had renewed his endorsement ahead of the vote, but it was not enough to stop Hatcher’s primary challenge from reshaping the race.
“Andy will be really enshrined as one of the best congressmen that you’ll ever see. He’s just fantastic,” Trump said. “Andy has always been there when we needed him and when I needed him. He’s been a great help. He’s been a source of inspiration to a lot of people in Congress,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social earlier this year.
Conservative podcaster Breanna Morello is sad to see him go:
Congressman Andy Ogles is a great man.
I’m truly disappointed he lost his primary.
Another L in Congress.
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) August 7, 2026
