Trump Mad After His Popular Endorsed Candidate Loses

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President Trump highlighted his primary endorsement record Friday after Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) lost his Republican primary, saying most of the candidates he backed continued to win despite the setback.

“Last night was another good night for Endorsements, 8-1, and the 1 was a person who I remained loyal to even though he had virtually no chance of winning, and was running against a Great ‘Trump’ Candidate,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president congratulated Charlie Hatcher, who defeated Ogles to win the Republican nomination for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District.

Hatcher, a former Tennessee agriculture commissioner, had also received support from Gov. Bill Lee (R) heading into Thursday’s primary. Ogles had Trump’s endorsement and participated in a tele-rally with the president in late July but faced increased scrutiny in recent months over past remarks involving Muslims and homosexuality.

Ogles’ defeat marked the second loss this week for a candidate endorsed by Trump. In Michigan, Trump-backed Amir Hassan lost the Republican primary for a House seat, while Thomas Smith ultimately secured the GOP nomination after previously suspending his campaign.

Despite those losses, Trump’s endorsement record has remained largely successful during the 2026 primary season, although several of his high-profile gubernatorial candidates have fallen short.

His preferred candidates for governor in Iowa, South Carolina and Georgia were all defeated in their respective Republican primaries.

Trump has also claimed major victories this cycle, backing successful challengers who defeated incumbent Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, as well as Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

In Tennessee’s closely watched Republican gubernatorial primary, Trump declined to endorse either candidate. Sen. Marsha Blackburn won the nomination over Rep. John Rose after the president reportedly avoided taking sides because he had endorsed both politicians in previous elections.

Across Tennessee’s congressional races, candidates endorsed by Trump won seven of the nine Republican House primaries held Thursday.

Trump did not endorse a candidate in the race to replace Rose in the state’s 6th Congressional District, where state Rep. Johnny Garrett won the Republican nomination by defeating former Rep. Van Hilleary in the solidly Republican seat.