Congressman who introduced bill to send anti-Israel protesters to Gaza loses primary

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), a two-term congressman recognized for contentious remarks as one of the House's most conservative members, was defeated in his Republican primary for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District on Thursday by Charlie Hatcher, the former state agricultural commissioner, in an unexpected outcome.

During his House tenure, Ogles introduced legislation requiring anti-Israel protesters who break U.S. Law to perform community service in Gaza. He also sent a letter to the Department of Justice seeking the denaturalization and deportation of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and made statements that "Muslims don't belong in American society" And "pluralism is a lie."

The primary loss followed Tennessee's redistricting earlier this year, which reconfigured the district previously held by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), the state's sole Democratic House member and one of few Jewish representatives from the South. Cohen announced in May he would not seek re-election following the redistricting.

The redrawn 5th District encompasses portions of Cohen's former district near Memphis, extends along Tennessee's entire western Mississippi River border, then angles eastward across the state toward Nashville's outskirts.

Ogles lost despite receiving an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Hatcher, who served as Tennessee's agricultural commissioner from 2019 to 2025, secured endorsements from several state Republican officials including outgoing Gov. Bill Lee and campaigned as explicitly pro-Trump.

With 99% of votes counted, Hatcher received 36,544 votes (53.2%) to Ogles's 32,091 (46.8%).

Hatcher will face Democratic candidate Chaz Molder, mayor of Columbia, Tenn., in November. The Cook Political Report considers the district likely to remain solidly Republican.

In other state races, Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), Tennessee's other Jewish House member, won his uncontested primary Thursday. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) won a three-way Republican gubernatorial primary with 311,329 votes (43.4%), with the next-closest candidate trailing by 10.5 points.