Trump stumps for Andy Ogles’ reelection in tightening District 5 primary race

President Donald Trump delivered a short pitch for the reelection of U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles during a “tele-rally” Tuesday night as early voting winds down for the midterm election primary.

Ogles’ race against 5th-generation farmer and former Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher tightened in recent weeks. Betting market odds show Ogles’ lead dropping by 24% since Tennessee lawmakers redrew the state’s congressional districts in May, and the better-funded Hatcher received an additional advertising boost from an independent political action committee this month.

The “tele-rally” was organized by the Freedom Caucus Fund, a political action committee that has paid nearly $663,000 for ads supporting Ogles or opposing Hatcher since the redrawn district lines took effect on May 15. The Freedom Caucus Fund and Ogles for Congress split the cost of the tele-rally. The fund’s website states the PAC “directly supports the best conservative House candidates in America.”

“I’m asking all of you to get out and vote for Andy Ogles. He’s been a friend of mine,” Trump said, noting Ogles was an “essential vote” in passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025. Trump interspersed praise for Ogles with comments on the war in Iran and the SAVE America Act, which the president is still attempting to push through Congress.

Trump first endorsed Ogles in October. Hatcher also identifies himself as a pro-Trump Republican, stating on his campaign website that “Trump would have been a fantastic farmer because he has that work ethic … think what President Trump could do if our congressman spent less time talking and more time doing.”

Ogles regularly introduces legislation supporting the Trump administration’s agenda. In 2025, Ogles nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize and filed a bill proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would allow a president to be elected to serve three terms. 

“I’m obviously honored to work with the president and carry much of the legislation on his behalf,” Ogles said during Tuesday’s call.

Trump also took the opportunity to highlight his symbiotic relationship with the Volunteer State.

“I’m always going to love Tennessee, even if you don’t vote for Andy, I’m going to love Tennessee, to be honest with you,” Trump said.

Campaign Finances and PAC support in tightening race

Ogles raised around $600,000 this cycle, and his most recent campaign account filing shows $57,648.62 cash on hand. He spent tens of thousands of dollars on legal consulting while facing a campaign finance investigation by the U.S. House Ethics Committee and the seizure of his phone by the FBI. His phone was returned in May, signaling the end of the FBI’s investigation.

Hatcher has raised $720,000 and has about $105,000 left. Ogles’ campaign also lists $70,368.75 in debts; Hatcher reported zero debts or loans.

If Democrat Chaz Molder wins his primary, the Republican primary victor will face well-funded competition. Molder, the mayor of Columbia, raised $2.6 million this campaign cycle and has nearly $1.5 million remaining in the bank.

Starting on May 15, the day the Tennessee General Assembly approved the new map, the Freedom Caucus Fund began a series of digital advertising purchases in support of Ogles. Since that day, the Freedom Caucus Fund has spent $414,752.31 on digital advertising and donation processing in support of Ogles. They also spent $248,081 on two media buys opposing Hatcher over the last week.  

The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC spent $688,348.55 on two advertising buys supporting Hatcher on July 16. The PAC is backed by renewable energy executives seeking to unseat elected officials who have acted against renewable energy development. Ogles in 2023 introduced H.R. 812, a bill to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, a Biden-era law that marked the federal government’s largest investment in clean energy through tax credits and other incentives. Ogles’ bill never moved past its introduction, but Trump turned instead to executive orders and other directives to claw back support for renewable energy.

“The same folks that funded Kamala Harris’ campaign — yes, that’s right, the liberal Kamala Harris — are funding my opponent,” Ogles said Tuesday. “They’re coming after me. They just dropped a million dollars against me. So your vote is important.”

The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC did not fund Harris’ campaign, but some of the PAC’s individual donors donated to Harris’ campaign.

“This is a fight for our nation, and we have the choice: we can let the liberals try to buy seats in Tennessee, or we can hold our ground and fight back.”

Axios Nashville reported last week that Kalshi, a prediction market that allows people to trade on the outcome of real-world events, showed Ogles with a 90% chance of winning to Hatcher’s 5% chance in late May. As of Tuesday, Ogles’ odds stood at 66%, and Hatcher’s at 40%.

Trump called into a similar tele-rally last year to drum up support for Rep. Matt Van Epps in a competitive race against Democratic challenger Aftyn Behn. Van Epps won the December special election to represent U.S. House District 7 with 53.9% of the vote to Behn’s 45.1%.