Representative Andy Ogles, a hard-line Tennessee Republican who has faced backlash over anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric, lost his primary to Charlie Hatcher, a former state agriculture commissioner, The Associated Press said on Thursday.
Mr. Ogles’s loss is seen as an upset despite the controversy he has courted over his two terms in Congress. He had secured President Trump’s endorsement, as well as backing from several prominent conservative groups.
But Mr. Ogles was running in a new congressional district after Republicans redrew the lines during the fallout from the Supreme Court’s weakening of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The district, which once included part of Nashville, now stretches from a cluster of suburbs outside the city west to parts of Memphis.
Mr. Hatcher, a longtime dairy farmer, had also won support from some notable Republicans in the state, including the outgoing governor, Bill Lee. And he had been buoyed by outside spending from a super PAC, the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition. The group, funded by renewable energy developers, has spent $2 million since mid-July.
The district “just proved once again that standing in the way of America’s energy future comes with a hefty political price,” said Tom Matzzie, chairman of the coalition, in a statement. He added, “we will continue to punish members of either party who want to play politics with American jobs, energy security, and utility prices.”
Mr. Ogles had escalated his campaign in recent weeks, unveiling endorsements from high-profile conservative lawmakers and accusing the group of trying to “buy” his seat.
But the brewing frustration with his inflammatory comments and hard-line stances remained. And Mr. Ogles had limited time to introduce himself to a new district.
Privately, some Democrats had wondered whether Mr. Ogles would be an easier opponent to defeat in the general election. The district is widely seen as a safely Republican seat.
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