The first-time member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus won his first primary as an incumbent on Thursday night.
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., fended off a challenge from Nashville City Councilwoman Courtney Johnston, who ran a more moderate campaign than the Republican freshman.
The election marks a much-needed political victory for the Freedom Caucus, given that its chairman, Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), lost reelection in June and faces an unfavorable outcome in a recount on Thursday.
See the latest Fox News coverage of the 2024 election here
Rep. Andy Ogles is running for reelection in his first primary election. (Getty Images)
Goode was running against Republican challenger John Maguire, who had the backing of Republican national security hawks including House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Reps. Jen Kiggins (R-Va.) and Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.).
Ms. Johnston edged out Mr. Ogles, according to financial disclosures: Her receipts through July 12 show she raised about $785,000 in individual donations, compared with Mr. Ogles’ total of just over $500,000.
She also tried to link Ogles to the successful effort by Good and seven other Republicans to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) last October, though Ogles was not one of the eight who voted to end McCarthy’s leadership.
The Republican lawmaker again introduced articles of impeachment against Vice President Harris.
House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good is fighting for his political life over Thursday’s recount. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“I think incumbency has created chaos. The ousting of McCarthy was a really terrible thing, not just for the Republican Party, but for the entire Congress,” she told local media. Whipplin.
But Ogles had the backing of some of the nation’s leading Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana.
“Andy is committed to growing our economy, stopping inflation, securing our southern border, upholding the rule of law, and defending the Second Amendment,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in May. “I am proud to help Andy take back House seats for the Democrats in 2022. I fully support him for reelection. He will not let you down!”
Biden withdraws from 2024 rematch with Trump, ends bid for second term in White House
Ogles was endorsed by former President Trump. (Felipe Ramares for Fox News Digital)
Ogles won Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District in November 2022 after the district’s boundaries were changed to shrink an area of downtown Nashville that was previously an all-Democratic seat.
Click here to get the FOX News app
But the district currently leans Republican: In the 2020 election, residents here voted for President Trump over President Biden by a margin of just over 10 points.
Ogles also defeated a Democratic challenger in 2022 by a similar margin.
