Tennessee voters oust Trump-backed congressman, set fall matchup for redrawn Memphis-area House seat
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Democratic congressional candidate State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, speaks to supporters at a primary election night party Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in a Republican primary Thursday for a significantly reshaped congressional district — marking a rare rejection of a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Voters also picked a pair of Memphis-area lawmakers to square off in another vastly reconfigured U.S. House district. Trump-backed state Sen. Brent Taylor will face Democratic state Rep. Justin Pearson, who gained national prominence when he was expelled from the Tennessee House for protesting in support of gun control measures and then reelected by voters.
The primaries provided the first test of a new U.S. House map that was redrawn in May by Republican state lawmake…