Trump tries to shield Tennessee conservative firebrand from primary challenge

President Trump is teaming up with a conservative group to protect a Tennessee Republican hard-liner from a well-funded primary challenger backed by green energy interests. Mr. Trump cheered on Rep. Andy Ogles’ reelection bid in a telephone rally Tuesday held by the House Freedom Caucus Fund. “Andy has always been there when we needed him,” Mr. Trump said, urging Tennesseans to “get out and vote for” him in the Aug. 6 primary. Mr. Ogles, who has represented the Nashville area since 2023, is seeking reelection in a redrawn district that stretches to the Memphis area, forcing him to court new voters. His primary challenger, former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, wants to take advantage of the new map and had outraised Mr. Ogles as of mid-July. The district is rated “solid Republican” by the Cook Political Report. Mr. Hatcher has the backing of the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a pro-green energy PAC running ads in his favor. The group has stated it intends to spend $1 million in the primary. In an interview with Punchbowl News, Tom Matzzie, who chairs the PAC, said it wants to send a message to other congressmen that “if you’re an extremist on American energy, you’re on our target list.” Mr. Ogles, a member of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus, was among the Republicans who pushed for the elimination of green energy subsidies in a July 2025 party-line budget bill. Earlier this year, Invest in Tomorrow ran ads against Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican running for attorney general who led the charge in opposing green energy subsidies. Mr. Roy lost the primary. Invest in Tomorrow has already run ads calling Mr. Hatcher an “America first conservative” and accusing Mr. Ogles of having fabricated elements of his resume, pointing to his previous claims to have been an “economist” and a law enforcement officer who fought human trafficking. During the telephone rally with Mr. Trump, Allison Weisenberger of the Freedom Caucus Fund touted Mr. Ogles’ work battling “the green energy lobby to stop Joe Biden’s green new scam.” Mr. Ogles was in third place as of mid-July in fundraising in the 5th Congressional District, trailing his Republican primary opponent and Democrat Chaz Molder. During the phone call, Mr. Ogles acknowledged the fundraising disadvantage. “The same folks that funded Kamala Harris’ campaign … are funding my opponent. They’re coming after me. They just dropped a million dollars against me,” Mr. Ogles said. “We can let the liberals try to buy a seat in Tennessee, or we can hold our ground and fight back.” The Freedom Caucus Fund is spending aggressively in his favor to ensure he’s the nominee, dropping almost $370,000 on pro-Ogles media in July. The ads seek to amplify Mr. Trump’s endorsement. Mr. Hatcher, although supported by green energy interests, describes himself simply as “pro-gun,” “pro-life” and “pro-Trump” on his website while accusing Mr. Ogles of having more style than substance. “I consider myself a workhorse, and my opponent is a show horse,” Hatcher told Nashville’s WTVF in June. Mr. Ogles has gone viral for explosive statements, such as a letter calling for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s denaturalization and deportation and a social media post saying “homosexuality has no place in America.” Mr. Hatcher told Nashville station of Mr. Ogle’s post on homosexuality, “I don’t agree with that. I mean, I think Speaker Johnson said it best when he quoted scripture. He said the Bible says, ’Love your neighbor.’” Mr. Ogles deleted the post, saying “a member of [his] comms team” posted it and disavowing it as “stupid, hurtful and a complete distraction from my America First focus.” The Washington Times requested comment from both candidates in the primary. Story Topics