Tennessee primary results roll in as Ogles loses GOP race, Blackburn wins governor contest
Results from Tennessee’s midterm primary election started landing Thursday night, with major races for governor, Congress and statehouse seats drawing the st...
Results from Tennessee’s midterm primary election started landing Thursday night, with major races for governor, Congress and statehouse seats drawing the state’s first big test of the 2026 cycle. Polls closed at 7 p.m. local time, and the count quickly delivered a surprise in the GOP contest for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District.
Incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles, a Trump-backed Republican, lost the primary to Charlie Hatcher. The race was one of several reshaped by Tennessee’s newly redrawn congressional map, which put fresh pressure on incumbents and opened up new lines across Nashville, Memphis and beyond.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn won the GOP race for governor, according to the live election blog. In Nashville’s orbit, the 4th District — now including South Nashville — set up a general-election matchup between incumbent Rep. John DesJarlais and Victoria Broderick.
New map, new matchups
The redistricting scramble showed up across the ballot. In the 6th District, state Rep. Johnny Garrett will face Democrat Mike Croley in the midterms. In the redrawn Memphis district, Trump-backed state Sen. Taylor will meet “Tennessee Three” member Pearson.
Elsewhere, Nashville businessman Copeland will challenge incumbent Congressman Van Epps. The changes left several districts with unfamiliar lines and a different political balance than voters saw before.
What comes next
Election watchers in Tennessee were expected to keep tracking results well after the first wave of returns. WPLN said updates would continue through the night, and local outlets in Memphis and Nashville also set up live voter guides and results coverage for primary night.
The state also drew attention this cycle for banning AI in political ads, even as candidates continued to use the technology in their campaigns. In a race marked by redistricting, outside backing and several incumbent-vs-challenger fights, the count on Thursday offered an early read on how Tennessee Republicans are sorting themselves out ahead of the midterms.
