Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., was defeated in a primary challenge on Thursday evening by Republican challenger Charlie Hatcher, a farmer and the state’s former commissioner of agriculture.

Although the primary was far from a top-watched contest coming into the 2026 primaries, it served as a microcosm of larger forces at play in the Republican Party. From a break in endorsements between President Donald Trump and Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Lee to millions being pumped into the district over environmental policy, the race attracted attention well beyond its borders.

The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition super PAC had spent roughly $2 million opposing Ogles and supporting Hatcher. The group has raised $6.7 million this year, making Ogles a sizable portion of their spending this cycle.

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The way that Ogles sees it, it’s an attempt to show Republicans what happens when lawmakers attempt to claw back government funding for renewable energy sources.

Like many other Republicans, Ogles has called to scale back renewable energy investments made under the Biden Administration.

«When you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they’re making off of government subsidies, and they’re upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them,» Ogles told Fox News Digital in an interview.

A Fox News Digital review of FEC filings discovered that the super PAC is bankrolled by Chris Larsen, the California-based billionaire chairman of Ripple, a financial technology company that, according to its website, offers crypto solutions for businesses.

Larsen is also a frequent Democratic donor, having contributed $5,444,975 to support Kamala Harris’s failed presidential campaign.

More than just his opposition to government-backed renewable energy initiatives, Ogles thinks it’s his proximity to Trump that has made him a target.

«It’s because I’m close to the president. It is because I am outspoken. And quite frankly, it is because I speak plainly on these issues,» Ogles said.

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Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) addresses the New York Young Republican Club’s 113th Annual Gala at Cipriani Wall Street on December 13, 2025 in New York City. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)

For his own part, Hatcher, a fifth-generation Tennessee dairy farmer, has pitched himself as someone unencumbered by the political scene and ensnaring interests.

«I think there’s something missing in Washington. There’s a lack of farmer common sense. There’s a lack of work ethic. One of my strengths is problem-solving, looking for solutions, looking for collaborations and supporting the Trump Administration and Speaker Johnson on their agenda,» Hatcher said in a campaign video.

Notably, Tennessee’s Republican governor put his weight behind Hatcher late on Tuesday evening, citing a personal relationship between them.

«He served as my commissioner of agriculture; I know Charlie. I know his conservative values and how much he loves our country. Charlie has stood with President Trump since day one,» Lee said in a video.

Trump, who has endorsed Ogles, reaffirmed his support for the conservative firebrand ahead of the primary.

«Andy will be really enshrined as one of the best congressmen that you’ll ever see. He’s just fantastic,» Trump said. «Andy has always been there when we needed him and when I needed him. He’s been a great help. He’s been a source of inspiration to a lot of people in Congress,» Trump said in a post to Truth Social earlier this year.

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Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., walks through the U.S. Capitol on February 03, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

Having captured the Republican nomination, Hatcher now advances to a general election he’s heavily favored to win on Nov. 3. He won re-election in 2024 in a 56.9% to 39.5% victory over Maryam Abolfazli.

El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, insiste con un tema que parece que lo desvela: este jueves firmó dos órdenes ejecutivas destinadas a restringir la ciudadanía por nacimiento, una iniciativa que intenta eludir la reciente sentencia judicial de la Corte Suprema que confirmó la protección constitucional para los que nacen en territorio estadounidense.

A finales de junio, el Tribunal Supremo anuló el decreto que Trump emitió el primer día de su segundo mandato, que buscaba acabar con la ciudadanía por nacimiento automática para todos los niños nacidos en suelo estadounidense, considerando que violaba la 14ª Enmienda.

«Tuvimos una decisión muy desafortunada en el Tribunal Supremo respecto al derecho por nacimiento», dijo Trump en el Salón Oval al firmar el decreto. «Estuvo cerca, pero fue una decisión muy, muy desafortunada. Así que estamos haciendo ajustes porque es muy injusto”, agregó.

Uno de los decretos firmados este jueves por el presidente amplía la definición de quién sería inelegible para la ciudadanía automática, incluyendo a «enemigos extranjeros de Estados Unidos, miembros de organizaciones terroristas extranjeras y grandes categorías de personas que hacen lobby y actúan en nombre de gobiernos extranjeros».

La segunda orden busca prohibir la práctica del «turismo por nacimiento», una forma de obtener un visado por motivos fraudulentos que ya es ilegal pero que se ha convertido en objetivo de ese derecho.

Trump también busca negar a ciudadanía por nacimiento a los hijos de algunos empelados diplomáticos extranjeros en EE.UU. y potencialmente, en territorios estadounidenses en el futuro.

Es el segundo intento de Trump de limitar la ciudadanía por nacimiento en EE.UU. y es posible que vuelva a ser impugnado en los tribunales por violar la 14 Enmienda, que garantiza la ciudadanía a casi todos los nacidos en Estados Unidos.

Pero el gobierno de Trump argumenta que la sentencia de la Corte aún le otorga la autoridad para limitar la ciudadanía por nacimiento bajo excepciones de larga data reconocidas por el tribunal. A la vez, a menos de 3 meses de las elecciones legislativas, busca instalar en la agenda política temas controversiales que agradan a las bases de su movimiento MAGA, contrarias a la inmigración.

Las órdenes ejecutivas anunciadas este jueves se aplican únicamente a futuros nacimientos vinculados a cuatro categorías:

—Hijos nacidos de personal diplomático extranjero que trabajaba para otro gobierno mientras están en EE. UU. La 14ª Enmienda no confiere ciudadanía automática a las familias de los embajadores, y esta orden ampliaría esa categoría a otros empleados no ciudadanos.

–Hijos de personas clasificadas como enemigos extranjeros, incluidos aquellos que pertenecen a grupos terroristas declarados federalmente. La 14ª Enmienda no se aplica a los “ejércitos invasores”, y esta designación ampliaría esa categoría.

–Aquellos nacidos en territorios estadounidenses, pero solo si el Congreso cambia la ley para acabar con la ciudadanía automática allí. El mes pasado se presentó un proyecto de ley que busca lograr eso, pero no se espera que sea aprobado. Esto se aplicaría especialmente a los de Puerto Rico.

—Niños nacidos de madres que expresa y engañosamente entran en EE. UU. con el único propósito de tener un hijo aquí, es decir, o sea “turismo por natalidad”. Se busca así limitar el uso de madres subrogadas para este propósito también.

–También el gobierno puede revocar la ciudadanía de quienes han sido naturalizados por fraude. La nueva orden establece que esta excepción ahora se aplica a una madre si participa de forma engañosa en la práctica comercial del turismo de nacimiento, según las autoridades.

Una segunda orden ejecutiva ordena al secretario de Estado y al secretario del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional emitir normas y directrices para detener el “turismo de nacimiento” y dirigirse a la industria tanto en el país como en el extranjero.

La ley ya prohíbe obtener un visado de turista «con el propósito principal de obtener la ciudadanía estadounidense para un niño que da a luz en Estados Unidos».

Los funcionarios de inmigración también pueden negar la entrada a una extranjera embarazada en EE. UU. si determinan que entra al país con el propósito de dar a luz.

Las estimaciones sobre el número de niños producto del turismo de nacimiento varían desde los pocos miles hasta decenas de miles, según las autoridades. Pero Trump se ha centrado mucho en este foco en su campaña para limitar la ciudadanía por nacimiento de forma más amplia.

«La ciudadanía por nacimiento no trata de personas ricas de China y del resto del mundo, que quieren que sus hijos, y cientos de miles más, por dinero, se conviertan ridículamente en ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos de América», escribió el 30 de marzo en Truth Social.

Es posible que con el tiempo estos decretos también terminen invalidados por la Corte, pero mientras sigue el proceso judicial, Trump reinstala el tema en la agenda política y provoca enorme confusión.

The Republican leader of Michigan’s House says a state-funded maternal health initiative has become something far different than lawmakers were promised, accusing Democrats of using more than $300 million in taxpayer funding to advance a broader guaranteed-income agenda.

Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall made the remarks in an interview with Fox News Digital as House Republicans continue scrutinizing Rx Kids, a taxpayer-funded program that provides unrestricted cash payments to pregnant women and new mothers.

Hall argued lawmakers believed they were funding a maternal and prenatal health initiative, not what he described as a broader experiment in guaranteed income.

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«I think the Democrats kind of slipped this in here under the idea that it was for prenatal care,» Hall told Fox News Digital. «Lawmakers did not have the complete picture.»

Rx Kids launched in Flint in 2024 and provides expectant mothers with a $1,500 lump-sum payment during pregnancy, followed by $500 monthly payments after the child is born.

According to materials provided to Fox News Digital by Hall’s office, the program has expanded to communities across Michigan with more than $300 million in taxpayer funding.

Rx Kids has promoted the initiative as a maternal and infant health program designed to reduce financial stress for new families. According to podcast interviews and program materials, its leaders have also discussed expanding the model to communities across Michigan and beyond.

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Hall argued the program lacks the eligibility requirements found in traditional public assistance programs.

«We have a lot of social safety net programs in our country that are working very well,» Hall said. «They have eligibility checks. They look at citizenship. They look at income verification.

«Rx Kids, by design, is given to anyone that has a child,» he continued. «They don’t look for citizenship. They just pay out anyone that has a child.»

Hall’s office also provided Fox News Digital with video of legislative committee testimony in which program officials acknowledged payments had been made to individuals who were not legally present in the United States.

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Hall argued taxpayer-funded cash assistance should include income and legal status requirements similar to those used by existing public assistance programs.

«What we prefer are the traditional welfare programs like Medicaid, the food stamp program and the WIC program,» Hall said. «They make sure you’re here legally, they make sure you’re not making a lot of money and then they give you the benefit. That’s not what Rx Kids is.»

Hall also criticized the program’s unrestricted cash payments, noting recipients are not required to spend the money on diapers, formula, housing or other expenses related to pregnancy or caring for a newborn.

«They give you this free cash and there are no strings attached by definition,» Hall said.

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The cover of the Rx Kids playbook describes how communities can replicate the Michigan-based maternal cash assistance program. (rxkids.org)

Hall said caseworkers had told him they had seen recipients use the money for alcohol, drugs and gambling. Fox News Digital has not independently verified those claims.

The speaker also pointed to public comments from Rx Kids leaders that he said reinforced Republican concerns that the initiative is intended to become something larger than a maternal health program.

Hall’s office also shared podcast interviews in which Rx Kids co-founder Luke Shaefer discussed the expanded Child Tax Credit and the role he believes Rx Kids can play following the expiration of those federal payments.

In a separate interview, Dr. Mona Hanna, the leader of Rx Kids, discussed her vision of expanding the initiative into a government-scale public program.

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Hall said those remarks aligned with his assessment of Rx Kids.

«This is a progressive left-wing experiment toward basically a universal income,» Hall said. «They’re trying to move the welfare state down that lane.»

Hall also questioned the program’s advisory network.

Hall’s office also shared archived versions of the Rx Kids website that listed Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan Secretary of State and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson’s husband Ryan Friedrichs and Community Change official Dorian Warren as members of the program’s advisory circle.

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The advisory circle page was removed from the organization’s website days after lawmakers questioned program leaders during a June 2 Michigan House Oversight Committee hearing.

The timing of the removal does not establish why the page was taken down.

«Our secretary of state’s husband is on the advisory board. Abdul El-Sayed is on the board,» Hall said. «It’s like a who’s who of radical left Democrats.»

Hall’s office also pointed to an Rx Kids white paper examining voter turnout among recipients and the program’s promotion of Vot-ER, a physician-backed voter registration organization powered by TurboVote.

Materials provided by Hall’s office also identified Hanna as an adviser to Vot-ER.

Hall said those connections and the program’s research into voting behavior deserved additional scrutiny.

«We’re trying to understand why are you so interested in the voting pattern of the people that are receiving your no-strings-attached welfare,» Hall said. «We aren’t getting good answers.»

Hall said House Republicans did not include additional funding for Rx Kids in Michigan’s newly signed budget, though the program still has access to previously appropriated funds.

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Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, left, stands with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Hall has criticized the state’s Rx Kids program. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

«The good news is that we cut off funding to this program in the new budget,» Hall said. «In the future, we’re going to try to put guardrails around it so that it goes to the people that truly need it.»

Rather than eliminating assistance for struggling families, Hall said he wants taxpayer dollars directed toward existing programs that assess financial need and place restrictions on how certain benefits can be spent.

«I think people support those programs,» Hall said. «They have eligibility requirements to ensure that you’re not taking advantage of the system.»

Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office, Rx Kids and Michigan State University for comment.