US Midterms 2026
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Charlie Hatcher, a Republican dairy farmer who served as Tennessee commissioner of agriculture from 2019 to 2025, is his party's 2026 nominee for Tennessee's 5th congressional district against Democrat Chaz Molder, mayor of Columbia.
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Chaz Molder, the mayor of Columbia and Democratic candidate for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District, discusses his campaign priorities during one of his campaign stops.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.: A fresh face will take over the seat in Tennessee's 5th congressional district after U.S. Representative Andy Ogles lost in this August's federal primary election.
Republican Charlie Hatcher is in the final stretch of his campaign for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District as he faces Democrat Chaz Molder in the Nov. 3 general election.
“And as commissioner, Hatcher got six reminders to apply for funding for local farms, but still missed the deadline, and Tennessee taxpayers had to foot the bill.
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Charlie Hatcher, whose full name is Charles Woodbridge Hatcher, was born on June 15, 1958. He studied animal science at Middle Tennessee State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1980, and went on to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1984. He works as a dairy farmer.
Charlie Hatcher's career in state government centered on the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, which he led as the state's commissioner of agriculture from 2019 to 2025. After leaving that post, he entered the 2026 Republican primary for Tennessee's 5th congressional district as a challenger to the sitting Republican representative, Andy Ogles.
Tennessee's 5th congressional district comprises a southern portion of Davidson County, parts of Wilson and Williamson Counties, and all of Maury, Lewis and Marshall Counties. Its incumbent, Republican Andy Ogles, was re-elected with 56.9% of the vote in 2024 and sought another term in 2026.
Charlie Hatcher defeated Ogles in the Republican primary, receiving 36,546 votes (53.2%) to the incumbent's 32,096 (46.8%).
Hatcher's Democratic opponent is Chaz Molder, mayor of Columbia since 2018, who won a five-candidate primary with 40.5% of the vote over Memphis City Councilmember Yolanda Cooper-Sutton (32.8%), writer Rachel Hurley (11.1%), DeVante R. Hill and former educator Carrie Ann Iacomini.
The general election takes place on November 3, 2026.
