NASHVILLE — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) on Tuesday endorsed Charlie Hatcher (R) in the Republican primary for the state's 5th Congressional District, where Hatcher is challenging incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) for the nomination.
Lee announced his support in a video Hatcher posted to Facebook. "Charlie Hatcher and I have been friends for 25 years," Lee said.
Sitting governors rarely back primary challengers against incumbents from their own party. Lee's move puts him in direct opposition to Ogles and forces a public contest for control of the district within Tennessee's Republican Party.
For Hatcher, the endorsement raises his credibility and visibility against an incumbent who now faces the headwind of his state's governor working against him.
The primary will test how much political capital Lee holds with the Republican base — and whether that capital outweighs the structural advantages of incumbency.
