Trump-backed Andy Ogles loses reelection bid and other Tennessee primary results

Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated conservative firebrand Rep. Andy Ogles on Thursday in the Republican primary in the state's newly redrawn 5th District, in the latest loss for a Trump-backed candidate. But Trump gave him an early endorsement last fall - and praised him on Election Day as "a Conservative Warrior". While President Donald Trump's endorsement has proven decisive in many Republican primaries this year, he's also seen some notable defeats. In governor's races in Iowa and Georgia, Randy Feenstra and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones fell short in their bids, while Trump issued a dual endorsement in South Carolina after his initial pick, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, failed to avoid a runoff and ultimately lost. Ogles' defeat comes just days after Michigan Republicans spurned the president's recommendation in a House race - backing Tom Smith, a little known candidate who dropped out of the primary in July, over Trump-backed Amir Hassan. "Last night was another good night for Endorsements, 8-1, and the 1 was a person who I remained loyal to even though he had virtually no chance of winning," Trump posted Friday on Truth Social, referencing Ogles. He gave Hatcher his "Complete and Total Endorsement!" CNN projects that GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn will face Democratic Memphis City Councilmember Jerri Green in the fall - a guarantee that Tennessee's next governor will be the first woman to hold the role. With 90 percent of the vote in, Blackburn had 43.4 percent of the vote to 32.9 percent for Rep. John W. Rose and 23.4 percent for state Rep. Monty Fritts. Hatcher won with 53.2 percent to Ogles' 46.8 percent.