Andy Ogles fends off first challenge as incumbent in Tennessee GOP primary: AP

Ogles, who recently reintroduced articles of impeachment against Vice President Kamala Harris, secured 56.9 percent of the vote, according to the Associated Press, compared to Johnston's 43.1 percent.

By Misty Severi

Published: August 1, 2024 10:10pm

Republican Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles on Thursday night survived his first election as the incumbent, securing the GOP nomination for a second term and fending off a challenge from Nashville Metro Council member Courtney Johnston.

Ogles, who recently reintroduced articles of impeachment against Vice President Kamala Harris, secured 57.4 percent of the vote with 83% of votes counted, according to the Associated Press, compared to Johnston's 42.6 percent.

The freshman congressman is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, and is a big supporter of former President Donald Trump, who endorsed him in May. House Speaker Mike Johnson has also endorsed Ogles' reelection campaign.

"Andy is working hard to Grow the Economy, Stop Inflation, Secure our Southern Border, Uphold the Rule of Law, and Defend our Second Amendment," Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time, per Fox News. "I was proud to help Andy flip a Democrat seat in 2022, and he has my Complete and Total Endorsement for re-election. He will not let you down!"

Ogles currently represents a red-leaning district, after its lines were redrawn and moved away from downtown Nashville, where it was previously blue. Ogles is expected to win the seat again in November.

Elsewhere in the state, a member of the "Tennessee Three" Gloria Johnson won the Democratic nomination for Sen. Marsha Blackburn's seat, and will face the incumbent GOP senator in November. Republican state lawmakers tried to expel Johnson and two of her fellow state House members after they protested about gun control on the House floor last year, in the aftermath of the Covenant school shooting.

Although Johnson won the Democratic primary, Blackburn is still expected to win reelection because the state has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in almost two decades, according to the AP. Blackburn was first elected to the Senate in 2018.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.