U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles narrowly avoided a primary upset from Courtney Johnston in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District GOP primary. Ogles will face Democrat Maryam Abolfazli in the general election on Nov. 5.
Johnston, a Metro councilmember who earned money and support from Tennessee’s Republican establishment throughout her bid against Ogles, eyed the seat after a series of scandals and controversy damaged Ogles’ credibility. She announced her bid, backed by campaign treasurer and well-connected Republican fundraiser Kim Kaegi, in February. Rather than focus on policy — both broadly agree on mainstream GOP positions against immigration, legal abortion and gun control — Johnston’s challenge hammered Ogles for lacking professionalism and antagonizing party leadership. Her campaign raised more than $700,000 with the help of Kaegi, formerly a fundraiser for top Republicans including Gov. Bill Haslam and Sens. Fred Thompson and Bob Corker.
Courtney Johnston
Ogles has fought campaign finance violations and ethical quandaries since taking office in 2022. He was among the handful of House representatives who worked against former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a fellow Republican, briefly rendering the chamber speakerless last fall. High name recognition and a national media presence helped buoy Ogles through the tight primary race.Â
Republicans are favored in the general election for the congressional seat, which was redrawn in 2022 by GOP state lawmakers. In name, the district had long belonged to Davidson County and was held for decades by centrist Democrat Rep. Jim Cooper. (In 2022, Cooper announced he would not seek reelection in a district he deemed unwinnable for Democrats.) It now contains the county’s wealthy enclaves of Oak Hill, Green Hills, Forest Hills and Belle Meade, as well as diverse and quickly growing neighborhoods in southeast Davidson County. The district also wanders through Wilson, Williamson, Maury, Marshall and Lewis counties.
