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By Katherine Fung
Senior Writer
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Republicans are looking to save one of former President Donald Trump's staunchest congressional allies ahead of a tougher-than-expected primary in Tennessee.
Representative Andy Ogles, a conservative hard-liner seeking a second term in the House, is facing a challenge from Courtney Johnston, a councilwoman for the metro Nashville area who has billed her opponent as a "do-nothing grandstander" who is "mired in scandals." Thursday's primary for the state's 5th Congressional District has emerged as a much closer race that threatens to make Ogles a one-term congressman.
Johnston has the fundraising advantage over Ogles, having more than doubled the rising GOP star's campaign contributions. She reported $500,000 cash-on-hand earlier this month, outraising Ogles' $90,000. She's also earned the endorsement of some prominent state Republicans, including former Senators Bill Frist and Bob Corker and former Governor Bill Haslam.
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Ogles, on the other hand, is being supported by Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Bill Hagerty. In a May statement, Trump called the Tennessee Republican "a spectacular man, a great leader" who "has a proven track record of creating jobs and protecting your communities and standing up for Tennessee values."
Ogles has also rallied the support of the House Freedom Caucus, which includes the chamber's most conservative members.
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Representative Tom Tiffany told Punchbowl News that he donated to Ogles' campaign in an effort to boost him in the primaries, and Representative Byron Donalds said he was planning to make a trip to Ogles' district to stump for him.
"Primaries, especially a first one, are tough, and [Ogles is] going to find a way to work through it," Donalds told Punchbowl. "Andy has my full support, and I'll make sure I get that message out there for people in Tennessee."
Representative Tim Burchett, who isn't a member of the House Freedom Caucus but close to the group, told the outlet he has already campaigned twice for Ogles' in their home state.
"There's only two ways to run: scared or unopposed," Burchett said. "He'll be outspent with a lot of outside money coming in."
Whoever wins the Republican primary will go on to face Democrat Maryam Abolfazli.
Since his election in 2022, Ogles has vocally criticized the Biden administration, filing articles of impeachment against both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The freshman congressman was also part of the group of Republicans who blocked Kevin McCarthy's bid for speaker of the House. He eventually supported McCarthy but would join the historic effort just nine months later to oust the California Republican.
But Ogles' conservative ties have also become a problem for him. His race has become yet another referendum on the House Freedom Caucus. Caucus Chair Bob Good lost his primary against Virginia state Senator John McGuire last month. The group has also been unsuccessful at ousting incumbents who want to be replaced with more right-leaning candidates.
Ogles is also poised to run for Good's chair if he is able to hold onto his own seat on Thursday. Tiffany said the Tennessee Republican would "be a great chair," and Representative Ben Cline said he would also support Ogles' bid for the chairmanship.
Since first running the Nashville-area district two years ago, Ogles has faced several controversies.
Before he was elected, his record of late property tax payments was an issue in his 2022 campaign. An amendment to his campaign finance reports also caught the attention of observers after he said a $320,000 loan that he reported to his campaign never happened. His campaign said it was a filing error and that Ogles only lent his campaign $20,000. The disclosure discrepancy has led to an ethics complaint.
A local news station has also accused Ogles of embellishing his resume to misrepresent his educational background and business credentials. Ogles has apologized for misstating his academic credentials, saying he was "mistaken" when he said he graduated with an international relations degree from Middle Tennessee State University.
"When I pulled my transcript to verify, I realized I was mistaken. My degree is in Liberal Studies. I apologize for my misstatement," he said in a statement last year.
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