Invest in Tomorrow Coalition (ITC), a clean-energy-aligned super PAC working to unseat Rep. Andy Ogles, has committed an additional $700,000 for paid media during the final week of the Republican primary race in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District.
The group’s total investment now stands at approximately $2 million, substantially outspending Ogles’ top outside supporter, the House Freedom Fund, which has contributed just under $500,000 to the contest.
Tom Matzzie, ITC’s chair and CEO of solar company CleanChoice Energy, stated that the campaign aims to demonstrate politicians who oppose clean energy “do so at their own political peril.” He added: “Andy Ogles is next.”
President Donald Trump campaigned for Ogles’ re-election on Tuesday during a tele-rally, calling him “an essential vote” in passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. Trump first endorsed Ogles in October.
ITC, backed by renewable energy executives, seeks to unseat elected officials who have opposed clean energy development. In 2023, Ogles introduced legislation to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act—the Biden administration’s largest federal investment in clean energy through tax credits and incentives.
Charlie Hatcher, a dairy farmer and former Tennessee state agriculture commissioner under Republican Governor Bill Lee, has positioned himself as an alternative to Ogles’ record. The Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District will be held on August 6.
Ogles, first elected to Congress in 2022, is facing his second consecutive serious primary challenge after defeating Nashville Metro Council member Courtney Johnston by a margin of 56.5% to 43.5% in the 2024 election.
The primary winner will advance to the November general election in a district that Democrats are targeting despite its Republican lean. Democratic candidates include Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, who has emerged as a strong fundraiser.
In a statement, Ogles claimed he was being targeted by “left-wing liberals from California” because he is one of President Trump’s closest allies. He added: “They want to stop Trump-endorsed MAGA warriors from delivering for the American people. This desperate attempt to SILENCE me is futile. I will not be silent and I will never stop fighting to put America First.”
