Tennessee primary voters selected two Memphis-area lawmakers to face off in a dramatically reconfigured US House seat that is central to Donald Trump's plan to maintain a slim Republican majority in the midterm elections.
Republican and Democratic Nominees
Republicans chose state senator Brent Taylor, endorsed by Trump, as their nominee in the revamped ninth congressional district. Democrats picked state representative Justin Pearson, who gained national prominence three years ago when he was expelled from the Tennessee House for protesting in support of gun control measures.
Redistricting and Its Impact
The previously compact Memphis-based district had a majority Black population, but it was cracked apart by Republican officials this year following a US Supreme Court ruling that weakened federal Voting Rights Act protection for minorities. Republicans hope the redistricting, part of a broader national plan pushed by Trump, could give them a clean sweep of all nine of Tennessee's seats.
The new ninth district stretches about 200 miles (320km) east from Memphis across rural areas before reaching north toward Nashville. It previously favored Democrats but now tilts Republican, with 71% of voters new to the district, according to an Associated Press estimate. Some Memphis voters have raised concerns that their representation has been diminished.
Other Primary Results
The redistricting also significantly reshaped the fifth congressional district held by Republican representative Andy Ogles, who was defeated by former Tennessee agriculture commissioner Charlie Hatcher. Hatcher prevailed even though Trump gave an early endorsement to Ogles. Ogles's defeat is a rare loss for Trump, who has backed mostly winners so far in this year's GOP primaries.
Although he lacked the president's endorsement, Hatcher was endorsed by Republican governor Bill Lee, under whom he had served. Hatcher campaigned as pro-Trump while emphasizing his farming background. "Think what President Trump could do if our congressman spent less time talking and more time doing," his campaign website said.
Ogles, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, has faced controversy. The FBI seized his cellphone in 2024 as part of an investigation into his campaign finance reporting. The Justice Department recently agreed to return the device, signaling that it was abandoning the investigation, which began under the Biden administration.
District Changes and Other Races
For decades, Memphis, the most populous city in Shelby County, formed the base of its own congressional district. Now the county is split among three districts that extend outward like spokes into rural areas. Previously centered on Nashville and central Tennessee, the district now extends to the north-west corner of the state before snaking south along the Mississippi River to Memphis, touching the borders of Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas and Mississippi.
In other Tennessee races on Thursday, Senator Marsha Blackburn defeated Rose in the GOP gubernatorial primary to succeed Lee, who is barred by term limits from seeking re-election. Blackburn, who won her second six-year Senate term in 2024, would have to give the seat up if elected. Memphis city council member Jerri Green won the Democratic gubernatorial primary.
