Republican Rep. Andy Ogles lost his primary bid for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District Tuesday, with former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher securing the nomination in a race that exposed the limits of a presidential endorsement.
Trump had backed Ogles, but Hatcher outspent the incumbent and picked up a late endorsement from Republican Gov. Bill Lee—a combination that proved decisive in a district where local credibility still counts.
Outside money also flowed in on Hatcher's behalf, compounding the financial pressure on Ogles.
Ogles drew criticism during his tenure for rhetoric described as anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant, controversies that trailed him into the primary.
The loss is one of several this cycle where Trump-backed incumbents have failed to survive renomination fights. A Trump-endorsed candidate in a Michigan House race also fell short this week, adding to a pattern that complicates the president's claim to dominance over his party's primaries.
Hatcher advances to the general election to represent the 5th District.
