NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Charlie Hatcher, a longtime Williamson County dairy farmer, defeated incumbent Congressman Andy Ogles in the Republican primary, a result that seemed to surprise even the winner.
"Well, it hadn't sunk in yet. It still seems like a dream, and I hadn't had time to shave," Hatcher said the morning after his win while appearing on Inside Politics.
Hatcher beat Ogles, who was endorsed by President Trump but was best known for controversial social media posts and questionable campaign finance disclosures.
Ogles called Hatcher to concede.
"He was very gracious. He offered to help and you know, I took him up on his offer," Hatcher said.
Hatcher leaned into his farming roots during the campaign.
His family owns Hatcher Family Dairy, and he served as Tennessee's Secretary of Agriculture under Governor Bill Lee, who endorsed him.
"Hire a farmer," was Hatcher's main campaign slogan.
He promised to work hard and not be a 'show horse' in Washington.
"I think voters identified me as one of them, a working man," Hatcher said.
Hatcher also benefited from a last-minute barrage of ads attacking Ogles.
A national super PAC that supports renewable energy spent $2 million on commercials blasting Ogles.
Hatcher said he had no idea the ads were coming and never coordinated with the group.
"The candidate has no control, no coordination," he said.
When asked what he thought when the attack ads began appearing in the final weeks of the campaign, Hatcher was candid.
"I thought, 'This is good,'" he said.
The renewable energy PAC never asked Hatcher about his views on renewable energy — they simply wanted to target Ogles, who had opposed it.
Hatcher will now face Democrat Chaz Molder, the well-funded Mayor of Columbia, who easily won his primary.
Hatcher said affordability was the top issue he heard from voters during the primary.
"We need to get fuel prices down, and that's all right now based on the war in Iran. That needs to get closed out once the goals and objectives are met," he said.
You can see the entire unedited interview on Inside Politics, which airs over the weekend on The Spot.
It is also a podcast. Simply enter Inside Politics Nashville wherever you get your podcasts and start listening.
