Latinos for Tennessee PAC, the state’s only Hispanic conservative political organization, endorsed incumbent U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) for reelection on Tuesday.
The organization said Tennessee and the state’s Latino community are “freer and more prosperous” under Ogles’ leadership since he entered Congress in 2023.
“Since taking office in 2023, Congressman Andy Ogles has been a tireless advocate for freedom, personal responsibility, strong and secure borders and fighting to help Tennesseans keep more of their hard-earned money through tax relief,” Raul Lopez, the PAC’s co-founder and board chairman, and Tommy Vallejos, the PAC’s executive director and co-founder said in a statement.
“Over the coming year, we look forward to sharing directly with the Latino community the many reasons why Congressman Andy Ogles deserves our support. Now more than ever, we need leaders like Andy Ogles who will support President Trump in Washington, D.C. to continue making America a great place to live,” Lopez and Vallejos added.
The PAC’s endorsement of Ogles comes as the incumbent congressman faces a challenge in the 2026 Republican primary by Dr. Charlie Hatcher, the former Tennessee Agricultural Commissioner, who launched his campaign for the congressional seat last month.
In the weeks following Hatcher’s campaign launch, Ogles was endorsed in the race by President Donald Trump, who called the incumbent congressman a “Conservative Warrior.”
Trump said, “Andy Ogles my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election – HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
Ogles, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, flipped the 5th District with his 2022 election victory after it had been served by Democrat Jim Cooper.
While in Congress, Ogles has earned a 100 percent lifetime score on the Heritage Action Scorecard, the nation’s leading conservative scorecard.
The Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District will be held on August 6, 2026. The general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026.
Other candidates seeking to enter the race for the 5th District must declare their candidacy and be qualified for the primary ballot by March 10, 2026.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Rep. Andy Ogles” by Rep. Andy Ogles.
