Image Credit: Gov. Bill Lee / Facebook, Hatcher for Congress / Facebook
Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
Governor Bill Lee has endorsed former state agriculture commissioner Charlie Hatcher over Trump-endorsed incumbent Andy Ogles for the new 5th Congressional District, joining several other establishment politicians and left-leaning PACs in opposing the conservative Ogles.
In his last-minute endorsement on August 4, Lee cites his long friendship with Hatcher, saying he has known him for 25 years, seven of those as the Commissioner of Agriculture.
“I know Charlie. I know his conservative values and how much he loves our country. Charlie has stood with President Trump since day one, and now he’s running to serve Tennessee’s 5th District to secure the President’s agenda, cut the cost of living, protect farmland and food security,” Lee said.
But while Lee claims Hatcher has been a Trump ally, despite his never having served in Congress where he would have the opportunity to directly support or vote on the President’s agenda, President Trump himself endorsed Ogles early in the race, calling him a “friend of mine” during a tele-rally and highlighting Ogles’ “essential vote” in getting legislation like the One Big Beautiful Bill passed in 2025.
Congressman Ogles, who has been endorsed by The Tennessee Conservative, regularly carries or backs legislation not only supporting the Trump administration’s agenda, but also that which seeks to take strong action on conservative issues like illegal immigration, voter ID, or impeaching rogue judges.
But Lee and several other establishment players apparently believe Hatcher would be a better advocate for these conservative ideals than Ogles.
Hatcher has also gotten the backing of former Gov. Bill Haslam, Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson, who found himself in hot water in 2024 when his office negligently spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on an expired contract, and former Republican Congressman Zach Wamp, who had a 60% “D” lifetime score according to the Freedom Index.
State Rep. Jody Barrett, who has offered his own endorsement of Ogles, commented on these individuals backing Hatcher, saying in a social media post, “Isn’t it ironic that last summer when the President endorsed Matt Van Epps the Williamson County contingent all fell in line behind the endorsement while Andy Ogles has been endorsed by President Donald Trump from the beginning, yet Bill Lee, Bill Haslam, and all the Williamson County establishment is defying the President by urging Charlie Hatcher to challenge the President’s chosen candidate, funding his campaign, and publicly endorsing him in an effort to take down one of the President’s most reliable allies?”
And Republican politicians aren’t the only ones working against Ogles, as the incumbent’s campaign has been facing a multi-million-dollar blitz from left-wing PACs, including one funded by a crypto billionaire who has donated millions of dollars to Democrats.
The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition (ITC), a clean energy-aligned super PAC, has spent $2 million on a combination of pro-Hatcher and anti-Ogles television ads, working unseat Ogles for his opposition to extreme renewable energy and climate change initiatives. ITC has raised $6.7 million this year, making their spending against Ogles a sizeable portion of their spending this cycle.
A review of FEC filings by Fox News found ITC is primarily bankrolled by Chris Larsen, the California-based billionaire chairman of Ripple, a technology company offering crypto solutions for businesses. Larsen has donated $6 million to the ITC PAC since February 2026, which is only slightly larger than the $5,444,975 he donated to the Future Forward PAC in 2024 to support Kamala Harris’ presidential run.
He has also donated to several other left-wing causes including the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, other Democrat PACs and organizations, and has made six-figure donations to Democrat candidates like Nancy Pelosi. Besides Larsen, ITC has also reportedly received support from other wealthy donors to Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and the former director of the Biden Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office.
By offering his endorsement, Gov. Lee, and all those standing behind Hatcher, have inadvertently aligned themselves with these radical leftist ideologues who are actively working to undermine conservative values and principles in Tennessee.
Whoever wins the 5th District Republican primary today will likely face Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder in the general election. Molder, who has reportedly raised nearly twice as much as Ogles and Hatcher combined, is being supported by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as national Democrats believe the seat to be vulnerable amid this year’s redistricting.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
