Who’s Who in the Midterms: Williamson County’s Two Congressional Races

Tennessee’s new congressional lines have charted an unknown path forward for political candidates this cycle, particularly in Williamson County. Now gerrymandered into the 5th and 9th Congressional Districts, voters will share federal representation in a wide swath of territory, stretching from Memphis to Franklin.

5th Congressional District

The western half of Williamson County, along with all or portions of Maury, Lewis, Hickman, Humphreys, Houston, Stewart, Montgomery, Benton, Henry, Weakley, Obion, Lake, Dyer, Lauderdale, Tipton and Shelby counties.

Affordability has been at the center of the 5th Congressional District election since the beginning of this cycle, exacerbated by an unpopular war against Iran that has raised prices of fuel, food and numerous other goods worldwide.

Charlie Hatcher is a Williamson County dairy farmer and the state’s former agriculture commissioner. He earned the Republican nomination after upsetting Trump-endorsed incumbent U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in the August primary. In campaign emails, the state GOP has characterized Democratic nominee Chaz Molder, the sitting Columbia mayor, as “masquerading as a conservative” as he works to earn votes in the newly redrawn district.

Hatcher’s website lists “expanding American energy production, strengthening domestic supply chains, encouraging competition and creating an economy where wages can grow without government driving prices higher.” Molder’s website lists “advocating for policies that lower everyday expenses, such as healthcare, housing and groceries.” But the most striking difference between the two became clear on Oct. 10, when Hatcher stood alongside President Donald Trump at a Clarksville rally. He called for cash-strapped Tennesseans to be patient and have faith.

“I know we are facing fierce economic headwinds,” Hatcher said at the rally. “Just give it a little time. We’ll get that taken care of.” He referenced “record diesel prices,” which have impacted the production and distribution of goods across the American economy.

“Tennessee families don’t have ‘a little time,’” Molder tells the Scene in a statement. “They’re paying more at the pump today. Farmers are paying more for diesel and fertilizer today, and every truck that hauls groceries into Williamson County is passing that cost along today. ‘Give it a little time’ is what you say when you don’t have a plan, or when you won’t stand up to the people making the decisions. Charlie Hatcher can’t name a single thing he disagrees with the president on, so I’m not surprised his answer is to wait. Mine is to act.”

Just two weeks after his primary win, Hatcher publicly — albeit gently — questioned Trump’s move to import tariff-free foreign beef to reduce beef prices for consumers, which has caused public outcry from U.S. ranchers and farmers. Hatcher also quietly edited his campaign website to remove the phrase “pro-Trump,” but nevertheless received the president’s endorsement. He also has key support from outgoing Gov. Bill Lee.

Hatcher supports the ongoing war in Iran, echoing GOP talking points that the war will continue to prevent Iran from creating nuclear weapons. He told Scene sister publication the Nashville Post that if the U.S. can both ensure a nuclear-free Iran and “prevent them from having a stranglehold on the global oil economy,” there could be “peace in the Middle East, and I think the economy will take off and everything will get better.” (A refrain those who recall the George W. Bush administration should be familiar with.)

Molder opposes the war and tells the Scene Congress should vote on the matter, which so far has been waged by the U.S. Department of Defense under order of the president. Molder also says Congress should “reverse the blanket tariffs” imposed by the Trump administration.

“Those are decisions Congress can make right now,” Molder says. “Families shouldn’t have to wait on them.” 

Molder’s supporters include former Gov. Phil Bredesen and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who stumped for Molder in Nashville on Oct. 3. “ This is a single-digit race,” Molder said at the event, “and it is improving on a daily basis.”

9th Congressional District 

The eastern half of Williamson County, along with all or portions of Rutherford, Bedford, Moore, Marshall, Lincoln, Maury, Giles, Lawrence, Wayne, Hardin, McNairy, Hardeman, Fayette and Shelby counties.

On a warm October night, state Sen. Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) stands in front of a crowd of 20 inside the Masonic Lodge in Shelbyville — in the rural outskirts of the newly redrawn 9th Congressional District. He points to his beige ball cap, which reads “coonskin hat 2.0.” It’s a nod to Tennessee frontiersman Davy Crockett, who previously held a piece of the seat Taylor wants.

Taylor tells the Bedford County Republican Party he grew up in a small town before becoming a funeral director. He eventually had a company that bought funeral homes and flower shops before selling off to a private equity firm. Taylor claims his background is more applicable to a job in Congress than that of his opponent, state Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis). 

“I know what it’s like to have both sides of the check,” he says to the crowd. “I’ve been in business myself, and it’s about revenues and budget.”

Taylor tells the Scene he would like to spend his time making the United States energy-independent, removing red tape for small business owners and cutting what he deems “wasteful spending.” Though the redrawn 9th — formerly a Democratic stronghold — now skews red, Taylor spends the majority of his time in Bedford County echoing the same sentiments he delivered at a rally headlined by Donald Trump in Clarksville on Oct. 10, focusing on Pearson rather than specific ideas he would like to implement if sent to D.C.

“The choice is clear in this election: competence over chaos,” Taylor says. “Let me walk you through my opponent. He got on the House floor with a bullhorn and led a protest against gun legislation. He disrupted the House proceedings. A year ago, he was in a committee meeting. Democrat-socialist Justin Pearson got so angry he charged toward Rep. Andrew Farmer, and had to be physically restrained. He disrupted a committee meeting. Recently, he got up from the House floor, and he got nose-to-nose with state troopers and called them stupid mother F-ers and narrowly avoided getting arrested.”

In 2023, not long after three adults and three children lost their lives in the Covenant School shooting, Pearson was part of what became known as the Tennessee Three, a group of lawmakers who stood on the floor of the state House and protested in favor of gun reform. The legislature expelled Pearson, but he was soon returned to his seat via the Shelby County Commission. He later won reelection. In late 2024, Pearson’s brother died by suicide, which prompted him to take a break from the legislature in early 2025. When Pearson returned, Farmer — a Knoxville Republican — criticized the Memphis Democrat for spending time away from the legislative session. 

The final incident to which Taylor refers occurred in the House gallery during this year’s vote over congressional redistricting. State House Speaker Cameron Sexton removed protesters from the balcony, but Pearson’s other brother, KeShaun, refused to budge. Pearson rushed up, told state troopers to stop touching his brother, and watched as authorities placed KeShaun under arrest. 

Republicans may consider Pearson a nuisance, but a crowd that recently gathered for a campaign event in Brentwood clearly haven’t found his activities in the legislature to be a hindrance. In fact, they’d like to see more of this kind of resistance from their elected officials. Pearson’s supporters at the Granny White Park event chanted in support of Pearson, who took questions and raised $5,000 on the spot. He called Taylor an “egotistical maniacal person.” But in an interview with the Scene, Pearson hardly mentions his opponent.

“Now I’m across 15 different counties, and able to really listen and learn about how systems of injustice are impacting people, whether they’re factory workers, pharmacists, teachers or farmers, and that has really been a significant learning curve for me,” Pearson tells the Scene. “But it has made me appreciate and love this state more, and also taught me and showed me what I always knew — that these counties and communities do not have adequate representation in the state House and the state Senate. These communities are being left behind, and the folks who come to the capital to work are responsible for the travesty that I am seeing across District 9.”

Pearson and Taylor have no policies in common. Pearson wants to eliminate AI data centers and crack down on the expansion of oil and gas pipelines. Taylor wants to see the U.S. break its reliance on the Middle East for oil. Pearson wants to raise the minimum wage, while Taylor fears the impact that could have on small businesses. Pearson wants Medicaid for all, but Taylor says that will bankrupt the country and cause healthcare access issues nationwide.  

But both believe they are the best man to represent a congressional district that now sweeps across half the state, including parts or all of 15 very different counties.

Who’s Who in the Midterms: Breaking Down the Nov. 3 Ballot

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