Green energy companies funded the PAC that defeated Trump-endorsed Rep. Andy Ogles in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District primary. With nearly all precincts reporting, former state agriculture commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated Ogles by a 53-47 percent margin.
The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC spent $2 million opposing Ogles, Politico reported. That total is more than both candidates spent combined.
“We will continue to punish members of either party who want to play politics with American jobs, energy security, and utility prices. The entire map is in play and we will take this fight across the country through November,” said a statement by Tom Matzzie, CEO of solar company CleanChoice Energy, who chairs the group.
The ads by contrast did not talk about Ogles’ opposition to Green New Deal policies but instead pushed Hatcher as a more conservative candidate.
Ogles, who serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the Committee on Homeland Security, is also a member of the House Freedom Caucus.
In a statement late Thursday night, the Freedom Caucus Fund went after the PAC.
“Congressman Andy Ogles lost tonight because a Super PAC bankrolled by leftwing California Democrats spent $2 million to raid the Republican Primary. These leftist Democrats include a San Francisco Billionaire who gave $12 million to Kamala Harris and has pledged to spend ‘whatever it takes’ to elect Gavin Newsom,” the organization posted on X.
The Freedom Caucus Fund also issued a warning to Republicans that the PAC is planning to defeat pro-Trump Republicans in November, adding, “Their goal is to destroy President Trump’s America First Majority in Congress, install Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker, and reinstate Biden’s Green New Scam that President Trump and the House Freedom Caucus eliminated.”
Axios reported on Invest in Tomorrow PAC ahead of Thursday, writing, “The renewable energy executives are using the super PAC to punish Republican lawmakers for anti-wind and solar policies, such as the rollback of clean energy tax credits in the One Big, Beautiful Bill.”
Other targets of the PAC include South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, who unsuccessfully ran for governor and is now running in the special election to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.