Dr. Charlie Hatcher, the former Tennessee Agricultural Commissioner, on Wednesday officially launched his campaign for the Republican nomination to represent Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, setting the stage for a primary battle against U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05).
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) confirmed receipt of Hatcher’s campaign filing on Wednesday, and a campaign website appears to have been launched by Hatcher on the same day.
“Charlie Hatcher is a fifth-generation Tennessee dairy farmer living on the land his family’s been working for over 200 years and so much more,” the Hatcher campaign website states. “He’s an author, Christian family man. For the past seven years he’s served Tennessee as the Ag Commissioner.”
As Hatcher seeks to replace an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, the Hatcher campaign website stresses his own support for the popular Republican president, but argues he would be more effective than Ogles while representing Tennesseans in Washington, D.C.
According to the website, Hatcher, “says President Trump is the most impactful president of our lifetime, but that he needs some help from a farmer’s hard-work mentality.”
In a statement posted to his website, Hatcher said, “Trump would have been a fantastic farmer because he has that work ethic. But it might not be enough money for him! He gets things done.” He added, in an apparent swipe at Ogles, “Think what President Trump could do if our congressman spent less time talking and more time doing.”
Notably, the campaign slogan which appears on the website also invokes Trump’s name, describing Hatcher’s candidacy as, “Pro-Gun. Pro-Life. Pro-Trump.”
In a 2024 profile by the University of Tennessee (UT) Institute of Agriculture, Hatcher described himself as a tenth-generation farmer.
“My childhood was greatly influenced by the time spent with my grandfather, Colonel George Hatcher MD, on the family farm. Those experiences inspired me to become both a farmer and a veterinarian,” said the former Ag Commissioner. “The Hatcher family has been farming in the Arno/College Grove, Tennessee, area since 1819, after relocating from Virginia. For generations, Hatchers have been dedicated to dairy farming.”
He added, “We even have the original milk license issued by the State of Tennessee to my grandfather in 1926. It’s safe to say that whole milk runs in my veins.”
Prior to the seven years Hatcher spent as Tennessee’s Ag Commissioner, Hatcher served in as the Tennessee State Veterinarian for a decade. He previously worked as a livestock veterinarian, and told the institute that his clients included the Triple L Ranch owned by Governor Bill Lee.
“My work with the Lee family seemed to leave a positive impression, as when he later became governor, Bill Lee believed I would be well-suited for the role of Tennessee’s Commissioner of Agriculture,” said Hatcher.
Hatcher earned his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 1980 and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1984. He founded Rock-N-Country Veterinary Services and co-owned Hatcher Family Dairy.
When Hatcher left his position in the administration, Governor Bill Lee said the public servant “faithfully served Tennesseans since day one” as Ag Commissioner and that he was “deeply grateful for his decades of service to Tennessee’s farming families.”
Hatcher’s candidacy was first rumored on Tuesday, when The Nashville Banner reported that Republican Party sources told the outlet of his plan to launch a primary campaign.
Tennessee’s political parties will hold their primary for next year’s midterm elections on August 6, 2026. Those seeking to run must have announced their candidacy and qualified to be nominated by March 10, 2026.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
At this point, anyone attempting to primary our best Congressmembers is actively working to help the Marxist Demonrat opposition.