Anti-Muslim US Congressman Andy Ogles loses congressional primary

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that US Representative Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee with a record of anti-Muslim remarks, lost his party’s primary on Thursday despite an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Ogles was defeated by Charlie Hatcher, Tennessee’s former agricultural commissioner, in a contest held in a redrawn district that Republicans had adjusted to help protect their House majority.

With nearly 90 percent of votes counted, Hatcher held a lead of 6.6 percentage points. Hatcher has described himself as pro-Trump and also received a late endorsement from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. He will go on to face Democratic nominee Chaz Molder, the mayor of Columbia, in November. The district is considered favorable to Republicans, though Democrats are hoping to benefit from wider voter frustration over the economy and the war on Iran in races nationwide.

The defeat is notable because it shows a rare case in which Trump’s backing did not secure a primary win for a Republican candidate. Ogles, first elected in 2022, had drawn criticism across the political spectrum for comments including a March post saying Muslims “don’t belong in American society,” along with a separate comment in 2024 that prompted outrage when he appeared to suggest killing Palestinians in response to a question about US-funded bombings.

Al Jazeera also noted that Ogles was the second Trump-endorsed candidate to lose a primary this week, underscoring a mixed run for the president’s preferred candidates as the 2026 midterm election season continues.