Rep. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., won the primary Thursday, The Associated Press projects, using the support of former President Donald Trump to fend off a well-funded GOP challenger.
Ogles is a member of the hard-right Freedom Caucus re-introduced the articles of impeachment against Vice President Kamala Harris after launching her presidential campaign last week. Ogles defeated Nashville Metropolitan Councilwoman Courtney Johnston, who outscored the first-term congressman on the airwaves in Tennessee’s 5th District.
Johnson tried to portray Ogle as a “do-nothing” politician one of his ads, “Andy Ogles is weak and has accomplished nothing. He is not chasing results, but headlines.”
Johnston also received support from a super PAC called Conservatives of Character, funded by some prominent Tennessee donors and politicians, including former GOP Sen. Bill Frist. Former GOP Sen. Bob Corker also donated to Johnston’s campaign.
Super PAC Ogles closed and disgraced former Rep. George Santos, RN, who was kicked out of Congress for violating campaign finance law and also made headlines for fabricating his biography. NewsChannel 5 Nashville found the Ogles exaggerated his professional experience. Ogles also claimed to have loaned his campaign $320,000, but then deleted the credit from the campaign finance report.
Ogles, meanwhile, touted Trump’s endorsements campaign ads.
Ogles, a former county mayor, won a crowded primary in 2022 with just 35% of the vote. he said at the time, “We are at war. This is a political war, a cultural war and a spiritual war.”
Ogles is expected to carry the GOP-leaning 5th District in November.