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The short version

  • Republican Brent Taylor and Democrat Justin Pearson will compete in November for a newly configured Tennessee House seat that stretches from Memphis to Nashville.
  • Charlie Hatcher defeated incumbent Andy Ogles in the GOP primary for the fifth district, marking a rare rejection of President Trump’s early endorsement.
  • The redistricting process, which split Shelby County among three districts, follows a Supreme Court ruling that weakened federal voting rights protections for minority communities.

Tennessee voters selected their nominees for several high-profile congressional and statewide races on Tuesday, producing results that reflect the profound impact of recent redistricting efforts. The primary outcomes set the stage for a November general election in which Republicans aim to maintain a narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Central to this effort is the ninth congressional district, a seat that has been dramatically reconfigured to favor Republican candidates after decades of Democratic strength.

In the revamped ninth district, state senator Brent Taylor secured the Republican nomination with the endorsement of President Donald Trump. He will face off against state representative Justin Pearson, who won the Democratic primary. Pearson gained national attention three years ago when he was expelled from the Tennessee House for protesting gun control measures. The contest between these two Memphis-area lawmakers represents a significant shift in political dynamics for the region.

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The new ninth district covers approximately 200 miles, stretching east from Memphis through rural areas before turning north toward Nashville. This configuration replaces a previously compact, majority-Black district centered on Memphis. According to Associated Press estimates, 71 percent of voters in the new district are new to the constituency, and the area now tilts Republican. Some residents in Memphis have expressed concern that their political representation has been diluted by these changes.

The redistricting strategy is part of a broader national plan supported by Trump to help Republicans retain control of Congress. It follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minority voters. Shelby County, which includes Memphis, was once the base of its own congressional district. It is now divided among three districts that extend outward into rural areas like spokes on a wheel.

In another significant development, Republican Charlie Hatcher defeated incumbent Representative Andy Ogles in the primary for the fifth congressional district. This result stands out as a rare loss for Trump, who had endorsed Ogles early in the race. Hatcher, a former Tennessee agriculture commissioner, campaigned on his farming background and pro-Trump stance, suggesting that the president could achieve more if lawmakers focused on action rather than rhetoric.

Ogles, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, had faced scrutiny over campaign finance reporting. The FBI seized his cellphone in 2024 as part of an investigation, but the Justice Department recently agreed to return the device, signaling the end of that probe. Despite this resolution, Ogles was unable to secure the nomination against Hatcher, who also held the endorsement of Republican Governor Bill Lee.

The fifth district itself has undergone substantial changes. Previously centered on Nashville and central Tennessee, it now extends to the northwest corner of the state before snaking south along the Mississippi River to Memphis. The new boundaries touch the borders of Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi, altering the demographic and political landscape of the seat.

Beyond the House races, the primaries also featured contests for statewide offices. Senator Marsha Blackburn defeated her opponent in the GOP primary to succeed Governor Bill Lee, who is barred from seeking reelection due to term limits. If elected, Blackburn would have to give up her Senate seat, which she won for a second six-year term in 2024. On the Democratic side, Memphis city council member Jerri Green won the gubernatorial primary.

These results highlight the complex interplay between federal legal shifts, partisan strategy, and local politics in Tennessee. The redistricting efforts have created new competitive dynamics while raising questions about representation for minority communities. As the general election approaches, both parties will focus on mobilizing voters in these newly drawn districts to determine the final composition of Congress.

The upcoming November elections will test whether the Republican strategy of cracking urban centers and packing rural areas can deliver a clean sweep of all nine of Tennessee’s congressional seats. The outcomes in the fifth and ninth districts, in particular, will serve as bellwethers for the effectiveness of this approach and the resilience of Democratic organizing in reshaped territories.

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