After Ogles’ primary defeat, Trump flips endorsement to Hatcher for Tennessee’s 5th District

After former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher emerged victorious in the Republican primary for the state’s 5th Congressional District, President Donald Trump explained away his endorsement of administration ally U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles.

Trump endorsed a candidate in each of Tennessee’s nine congressional district primary races. Ogles is the only candidate carrying Trump’s flag that did not advance to the general election.

Hatcher won the race with 53.2% of the vote to Ogles’ 46.8%.

“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, and was running against a Great ‘Trump’ Candidate, and former Agricultural Commissioner of Tennessee, named Charlie Hatcher,” Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, Friday morning.

Trump then gave Hatcher his “complete and total endorsement” in the general race against Democratic challenger, Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, and independent candidates.

After withholding an endorsement in Tennessee’s gubernatorial primary, Trump on Friday also endorsed U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who won the Republican primary against U.S. Rep John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts.

Ogles’ tenure and ties to Trump

Trump’s endorsement was a prominent feature of Ogles’ campaign in the newly drawn district, which stretches from Middle to West Tennessee. Tennessee’s legislature quickly redrew and passed a new congressional district map favoring Republican candidates in May at Trump’s urging after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais struck down a portion of the 1965 Voting Rights Act allowing for the creation of majority minority districts.

The redrawn district meant Ogles, the incumbent, was vying for an almost entirely different constituency. 

Former Tennessee agriculture commissioner Charlie Hatcher knocks Andy Ogles out of 5th District race

Trump endorsed Ogles in October — before the district changed — and stumped for Ogles in a “tele-rally” in the waning days of early voting, praising Ogles’ loyalty to the administration.

Ogles defeated eight opponents to win the 2022 Republican primary just after the district was redrawn, cutting Democratic-leaning Davidson County in thirds to give Republicans the upper hand. He claimed the seat in the 2022 general election against state Sen. Heidi Campbell, a Nashville Democrat, and again cruised to victory in 2024, defeating Republican primary competitor Courtney Johnston, a Metro Nashville council member, and Democrat Maryam Abolfazli in the general election.

During Ogles’ two terms, he introduced multiple bills supporting the Trump administration’s agenda. In 2025, he proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would allow a president to serve three terms. 

Ogles recently pushed for “millions” of people of Islamic faith to be “remigrated” from the country.

His time as a congressman has been marked by controversy, including a federal investigation into missing and incorrect campaign finance disclosures and accusations of inflating his resume.

Voting attendance records show Ogles at 91.8%, the 21st lowest attendance rate in Congress and the lowest of the Tennessee delegation.

Hatcher’s winning primary campaign

Hatcher’s campaign painted him as a hard-working farmer and former state veterinarian, referring to himself as a “work horse” to Ogles’ “show horse.”

He also aligned himself with Trump, saying Trump’s work ethic would make him a good farmer. Gov. Bill Lee endorsed Hatcher two days before the election.

Trump stumps for Andy Ogles’ reelection in tightening District 5 primary 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 May 15. Ogles criticized the group, the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, as “liberals” trying to “buy seats in Tennessee” before the election.

Ogles also got support from a political action committee. The Freedom Caucus Fund, which is affiliated with hard-right U.S. House Freedom Caucus, pumped more than $810,000 into media buys and robocalls supporting Ogles or opposing Hatcher since May 15, and helped pay for the Trump tele-rally.

Hatcher’s “Hire a Farmer” message resonated in several of the district’s most agricultural counties, earning him a 60% majority of votes in Dyer and Weakley counties. Ogles narrowly claimed Obion County.

Hatcher secured about 55% of the votes in Williamson County, the most populated county in the district and his home turf. Williamson gave Hatcher nearly one third of his winning 36,544 vote total.

But Hatcher also dominated in Maury County, where Ogles once served as mayor; granted, by a much narrower margin of just 207 votes.