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Andy Ogles wins GOP primary for Tennessee' s 5th district

Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles waves at a polling place. Photo: AP/Mark Humphrey Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles won a fiercely contested Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th congressional district, which includes part of Nashville. was powered by rural and suburban voters who were drawn into the district earlier this year, dramatically changing the contours of the race. Former House Speaker Beth Harwell, a political institution in Tennessee, came in second despite a strong showing in Davidson County.Retired National Guard Brig. Gen. Kurt Winstead finished third. Why it matters: State Republicans redrew District 5 to favor conservative candidates during the redistricting process . The new boundaries eliminated a reliable Democratic seat and made Ogles the presumptive favorite to represent the southern part of Davidson County — as well as five other counties drawn into the district — in Congress. The intrigue: The candidates spent the final weeks of the race trying to establish their conservative bona fides in the face of a barrage of negative TV ads.Ogles, whose work as a conservative activist drove his political ascent, called himself “.” By the numbers: Ogles had 37% of the vote, according to totals reported late Thursday night. He bested Harwell by 11 points. What he's saying: "This was the establishment versus the conservative wing of the party," ."By darn, the conservatives won." The other side: State Sen. Heidi Campbell, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, made a pitch for unity last night, criticizing what she called "divisive attacks" from "extreme politicians.""I've won every race I’ve ever run by staying focused on solutions for families — not partisan politics," Campbell said. Flashback: U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, the longtime Democratic incumbent in District 5, in January after the new map was released. What's next: Ogles and Campbell will square off in the general election for District 5 on Nov. 8. Zoom out: Two other congressional districts will represent other parts of Nashville under the redrawn map. Both favor the Republican incumbents.U.S. Rep John Rose will face District 6 Democratic primary winner Randal Cooper in November.Republican U.S. Rep Mark Green will run against Democrat Odessa Kelly in the District 7 race. They ran unopposed in their respective primaries. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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