STUNNING UPSET: Trump-Backed Incumbent Falls as GOP Redistricting Strategy Faces Major Test

Liberty Check

• Trump-endorsed conservative Freedom Caucus member ousted by deep-pocketed Democrat billionaire interference in GOP primary
• Tennessee Republicans’ bold redistricting plan positions state for historic 9-0 GOP congressional sweep
• Trump’s chosen candidate wins critical race to stop AOC-backed ‘Tennessee Three’ radical from reaching Congress

President Donald Trump’s influence with Republican voters faced a critical trial run in Tennessee Thursday, as the state held its first primaries under a newly redrawn congressional map designed to strengthen the GOP’s razor-thin House majority heading into this fall’s elections.

The night delivered mixed results for Trump across two closely watched Republican House primaries. Trump-backed state Sen. Brent Taylor secured the GOP nomination in the newly redrawn 9th Congressional District, while former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated Trump-endorsed incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles in the 5th District.

Taylor’s victory sets the stage for a November battle against AOC-endorsed progressive state Rep. Justin Pearson, one of the notorious “Tennessee Three” lawmakers who gained national attention after being expelled following a gun control protest in 2023. The race will test whether Tennessee Republicans can execute their strategy to flip the final Democratic-held seat in the state.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn captured the Republican gubernatorial nomination, positioning herself to potentially become Tennessee’s first female governor and create a U.S. Senate vacancy that would trigger another high-stakes political appointment.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Tennessee! One year ago, we set out on this journey with one goal: to make Tennessee America’s conservative leader and show the nation what strong, bold, conservative leadership looks like,” Blackburn said following her win Thursday night.

“I am humbled and honored that you’ve chosen me as your Republican nominee for Governor. Together, we’ve taken a major step toward that goal. I won’t let you down. On to November.”

Ogles’ defeat marked a significant setback for Trump on the night. The president threw his support behind the conservative House Freedom Caucus member and intervened as the race tightened, praising Ogles as a strong businessman and America First lawmaker during a virtual tele-rally last month.

Hatcher, endorsed by term-limited Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, handed the two-term incumbent an upset defeat despite Trump’s intervention and backing from Speaker Mike Johnson.

Ogles faced a high-dollar outside effort to knock him out of the race. The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a clean-energy super PAC largely bankrolled by California crypto billionaire and major Democratic donor Chris Larsen, spent roughly $1 million opposing Ogles and supporting Hatcher before purchasing another $700,000 in advertising ahead of the primary.

Ogles accused the group of trying to punish him for opposing Biden-era clean-energy subsidies and suggested his close ties to Trump had also put a target on his back. The deep-pocketed Democratic interference in a Republican primary raises serious questions about outside influence in GOP contests.

The Trump-backed incumbent was also running on unfamiliar terrain after Tennessee Republicans dramatically redrew his 5th District. While the change made the district significantly more Republican for November, it left Ogles facing a substantially new GOP electorate than what had elected him previously.

Ogles’ district was not the only one transformed. Tennessee Republicans redrew the state’s congressional lines this spring, breaking apart the Democratic-controlled 9th District and giving Republicans a chance to turn Tennessee’s current 8-1 GOP delegation into a 9-0 sweep.

The effort prompted longtime Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen to abandon his reelection bid in that Memphis-area district, which was transformed from a district that previously favored Democrats into one that now tilts Republican.

Thursday’s primaries now set up a particularly nationalized fight for that seat.

Taylor, who won the GOP 9th district primary Thursday, carries Trump’s endorsement, while Pearson, the winner of the 9th district’s Democratic primary, has been embraced by members of the far-left “Squad” on Capitol Hill, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Taylor will attempt to deliver Republicans the final seat needed for a clean sweep of Tennessee’s congressional delegation, while Pearson will try to preserve a Democratic foothold in the Memphis-area district despite a less favorable map. The November matchup represents a clear choice between Trump-backed conservative values and Squad-endorsed progressivism.

Blackburn defeated Rep. John Rose in the Republican gubernatorial primary to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Lee, clearing a major hurdle between her and the governor’s mansion in the heavily Republican state. If elected in November, Blackburn would become Tennessee’s first female governor.

Her victory could also produce consequences in Washington. Blackburn was reelected to a six-year Senate term in 2024, meaning she did not have to surrender her seat to run for governor.

However, she would have to give up her seat if elected governor, which would create a Senate vacancy and another round of political maneuvering over who could succeed her.

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