Tennessee primary: Trump-backed Ogles loses; Blackburn to win

Aug. 7 (UPI) — A candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump lost his primary in Tennessee while longtime Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s gubernatorial campaign is advancing.

The results are coming in on Friday from Tennessee’s primary elections under the state’s newly-drawn congressional map. The redistricting effort split up the state’s only liberal-leaning district in Memphis, where a majority of Black voters reside.

The new map did not help Republican Rep. Andy Ogles retain his seat, nor did the endorsement of Trump. Ogles lost in an upset to former state agriculture commissioner Charlie Hatcher.

The result puts Hatcher on the ballot against Democrat Chaz Molder, the mayor of Columbia, Tenn., in November.

State Rep. Justin Pearson, a member of the “Tennessee Three,” a group of state lawmakers who protested for gun reform in the legislature in 2023, is running in the newly-drawn Ninth Congressional District. He defeated state Sen. London Lamar in this week’s Democratic primary.

Tennessee District Nine was held by Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen but he is not running for re-election. Cohen made the decision after the new congressional map split voters in Memphis to make the district more Republican leaning.

On the Republican side, state Sen. Brent Taylor is projected to win his primary.

In the state’s gubernatorial race, Blackburn is projected to win the Republican nomination over Rep. John Rose. Democrat Jerri Green has won the Democratic primary.

Blackburn and Green are running for a seat that will be left vacant by Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who is term limited.

Blackburn’s primary win is not yet official as ballots are still being counted on Friday.