Anti-Muslim US Congressman Andy Ogles loses Republican primary
US Congressman Andy Ogles lost his Republican primary in Tennessee to challenger Charlie Hatcher, despite receiving an endorsement from Donald Trump. Ogles had faced significant backlash for his controversial anti-Muslim rhetoric and comments regarding the conflict in Gaza.
Why it matters
The loss highlights a rare instance where a Trump endorsement failed to secure a victory, potentially signaling shifting dynamics in local Republican primaries.
Trump’s endorsement fails to save Tennessee legislator who recently said ‘Muslims don’t belong in American society’.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Congressman Andy Ogles was first elected in 2022 [File: Mark Humphrey/AP Photo] By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 7 Aug 2026 7 Aug 2026 United States Congressman Andy Ogles , who has a history of anti-Muslim statements, has lost his Republican primary in the state of Tennessee despite the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
Ogles’s loss on Thursday to Charlie Hatcher, the state’s former agricultural commissioner, represents a rare incident in which Trump’s endorsement failed to deliver in a Republican race.
Hatcher has also represented himself as pro-Trump, but the US president heaped praise on Ogles earlier on Thursday, giving the incumbent his “complete and total endorsement”.
With nearly 90 percent of the votes counted, Hatcher had a 6.6-point lead over Ogles.
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