Candidates bank on endorsements as primary draws near

Political endorsements and independent spending are ramping up as congressional candidates wrangle for votes in the closing days of the Aug. 6 primary.

U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles of Culleoka is depending on the backing of President Donald Trump, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and the House Freedom Caucus to carry him to another term in the redrawn 5th Congressional District where he faces former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. Trump is hosting a tele-town hall with Ogles on Tuesday, the same type of event he held for now-U.S. Rep. Matt Van Epps days before November’s special election.

In the waning days of the election, Hatcher is drawing the support of former Gov. Bill Haslam, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue and former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp.

He also netted the backing of state Sen. John Stevens, three firefighters associations and a political action committee called Invest in Tomorrow Coalition. The PAC is planning to spend heavily over the next week on TV ads backing Hatcher and attacking Ogles, according to a report.

Ogles, who also received the endorsement of Republican Sens. Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn, a gubernatorial candidate, has spent more than $617,000 since early 2025 but had only $57,600 in his account at the mid-July reporting deadline, according to Federal Election Commission reports. Hatcher raised nearly $720,000 since last August and had $104,800 in his federal account, the latest report shows, while also benefiting from the outside spending, which is attacking Ogles over questions about his resume and an investigation into his campaign finances.

Former governor steps in

Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder landed the endorsement of former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen in the Democratic primary for the 5th Congressional District seat.

“I admire the way he has handled himself as mayor — focused on results, not theatrics,” Bredesen, a two-term governor and two-term Nashville mayor, said in a release.

Former U.S. Rep. John Tanner, outgoing U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, the Congressional Black Caucus PAC and his father-in-law, Ripley Mayor Craig Fitzhugh, one-time leader of the House Democratic Caucus.

Molder is running against Yolanda Cooper-Sutton, DeVante Hill, Rachel Hurley and Carrie Ann Iacomini but will see his toughest opposition in either Hatcher or Ogles in the general election to be decided in November.

Democrats tout support

In the Democratic primary for the 9th Congressional District seat, state Rep. Justin Pearson received the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees while raising $2.2 million.

Pearson is going up against Democratic state Sen. London Lamar, who received the support of Cohen, who has represented Memphis in the Tennessee Legislature and Congress since 1983. She also landed the backing of Memphis Mayor Paul Young.

Pearson also netted the endorsement of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who said the Tennessee candidate would stand up to “the rich and power-hungry elites,” as well as Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and multiple members of the state Senate and state House.

More Trump backing

Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor of Shelby County received the endorsement of Trump as he goes head-to-head with state Rep. Todd Warner in the 9th Congressional District primary.

Blackburn, Hagerty, U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Tennessee congressional delegation members, U.S. Reps. Matt Van Epps, Diana Harshbarger and Chuck Fleischmann, and Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally are supporting Taylor as well. 

Warner, who keeps a life-sized cutout of Trump in his state office, drew the support of Republican state Rep. Jody Barrett of Dickson County. Both state lawmakers opposed Gov. Bill Lee’s private-school voucher program but couldn’t stop its passage.

On the gubernatorial front

Blackburn and U.S. Rep. John Rose are both hoping for the endorsement of Trump, which is usually considered a path to victory. But the president has declined to issue an official endorsement of either candidate.

Instead, Blackburn has gotten the endorsement of U.S. Reps. Tim Burchett, Van Epps and Fleischmann, in addition to Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, who is her  treasurer and could be the frontrunner for her Senate seat if she wins the governorship.

Rose netted the endorsement of former U.S. Rep. Diane Black of Gallatin, also an ex-member of the state House, who ran for governor in 2018.

State Rep. Monty Fritts received the backing of Barrett.