Charlie Hatcher

Current office and 2026 campaign

Charlie Hatcher is a Republican candidate running for election to the U.S. House of Representatives in Tennessee's 5th Congressional District ¹. He declared his candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled on August 6, 2026 ¹. The incumbent representative for the district is Andy Ogles, whom Hatcher plans to challenge ³.

Hatcher previously served as the Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture from January 1, 2019, until September 30, 2025 ¹. He was appointed to the role by Governor Bill Lee and had previously served as the state veterinarian for ten years ¹¹. Hatcher retired from the commissioner position in late 2025, with Deputy Commissioner Andy Holt succeeding him on October 1 ¹².

Hatcher officially launched his congressional campaign with a fundraiser at Battle Mountain Farm in College Grove, Tennessee ¹³. The event drew several hundred supporters and marked the beginning of his bid for the seat ¹⁴. Hatcher, who is a fifth-generation Tennessee dairy farmer and veterinarian, has stated that he supports President Donald Trump but believes Washington needs a farmer's "work-hard mentality" to address national issues effectively ³. He described politics as "the nastiest thing I've ever done" while emphasizing his reliance on his experience in government service ¹⁴.

Background and education

Charlie Hatcher is a fifth-generation Tennessee dairy farmer who lives on land his family has worked for over 200 years ⁶. He describes himself as a tenth-generation American farmer and states that his childhood was deeply influenced by time spent with his grandfather, Colonel George Hatcher MD, on the family farm in the Arno/College Grove area ⁴. Hatcher identifies as a Christian family man ⁷.

Hatcher is an alumnus of Middle Tennessee State University ⁸. He earned his veterinary degree from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 1984 ⁵.

Career

Dr. Charlie Hatcher is a tenth-generation American farmer and fifth-generation Tennessee dairy farmer who has worked on land his family has cultivated for over 200 years ⁴. He self-describes as having started eight successful businesses from scratch, including the Hatcher Family Dairy and Rock-N-Country Veterinary Clinic ⁶. His daughter and son currently operate a veterinary office and the Hatcher Family Dairy in the College Grove area ¹⁰.

Hatcher graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984 ⁵. He served as the State Veterinarian for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture for ten years, beginning in 2009, where he was responsible for protecting animal health and promoting the marketability of animal products ⁸. During his tenure as state veterinarian, he held national leadership roles, including serving as past President of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners ¹.

In December 2018, Governor-elect Bill Lee announced Hatcher’s selection to serve as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture ². He was sworn in as Tennessee’s 38th Commissioner of Agriculture on January 19, 2019 ¹¹. In this cabinet position, he served until his retirement was announced in September 2025, with Deputy Commissioner Andy Holt succeeding him on October 1, 2025 ¹².

Hatcher received the 2020 Alumni Award from Gamma Sigma Delta, the International Honor Society of Agriculture, recognizing his contributions as a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Tennessee ⁵. He is also an author and has held various leadership positions within agricultural organizations throughout his career ¹.

Office history

Dr. Charlie Hatcher served as the 38th Commissioner of Agriculture for Tennessee from January 1, 2019, to September 30, 2025 ¹. He was appointed to the position by Governor Bill Lee and assumed office in early 2019 ²⁸¹¹. In this cabinet role, Hatcher led the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, overseeing the state's agricultural and forestry resources ²⁹. Prior to his appointment as commissioner, he served for ten years as the State Veterinarian for the department ¹¹. He left the office in September 2025, with Deputy Commissioner Andy Holt succeeding him on October 1, 2025 ¹².

Hatcher is currently a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Tennessee's 5th Congressional District ¹. He declared his candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026, to challenge incumbent Representative Andy Ogles ¹³¹⁰. Hatcher officially launched his campaign with a fundraiser at his family's Battle Mountain Farm in College Grove ¹³¹⁴. As of May 2026, the primary election has not yet occurred, and its outcome is unknown ¹.

Legislative record and accomplishments

As a state official rather than a member of Congress, Charlie Hatcher did not sponsor federal legislation or hold congressional committee assignments during his tenure as Tennessee’s Commissioner of Agriculture ¹. His legislative influence was exercised at the state level through his role in the executive branch, where he worked to advance policies supporting rural resources and agricultural priorities under Governor Bill Lee’s administration ².

Hatcher’s policy positions for his 2026 U.S. House campaign emphasize a "work-hard mentality" derived from his background as a fifth-generation Tennessee dairy farmer and former state veterinarian ³. He self-describes as pro-gun, pro-life, and pro-Trump, stating that while he supports President Donald Trump, the administration needs assistance from a farmer’s perspective to address issues in Washington, D.C. ⁷. Hatcher argues that rural interests are critical to all Tennesseans and seeks to bring his experience in managing the state’s agricultural sector to the federal level ².

Prior to his 2026 congressional bid, Hatcher served as the 38th Commissioner of Agriculture from January 1, 2019, until his retirement on September 30, 2025 ¹. In this capacity, he was responsible for protecting animal health and promoting the marketability of agricultural products, having previously served as the State Veterinarian for ten years ¹¹. He left the cabinet role to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Andy Ogles in the Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District ¹⁰.

Documented disputes and controversies

Charlie Hatcher has announced a candidacy to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Andy Ogles in the 2026 Republican primary for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District ¹³¹⁰. The race was confirmed by GOP sources and reported by local media outlets, with Hatcher launching his campaign at Battle Mountain Farm in College Grove ¹⁰¹³¹⁴. Hatcher has described politics as "the nastiest thing I've ever done" while noting he has been approached about running for office multiple times previously ¹⁴.

Hatcher served as the Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture from January 1, 2019, until his retirement on September 30, 2025 ¹¹². He was appointed to the role by Governor Bill Lee after being announced as a cabinet pick at the Tennessee Farm Bureau Annual Convention in December 2018 ²⁸⁹. During his tenure, Hatcher focused on agricultural policy and rural resources, drawing on his background as a veterinarian and fifth-generation farmer ²¹¹. He left the position to pursue his congressional campaign, with Deputy Commissioner Andy Holt succeeding him in October 2025 ¹².

There are no documented ethics complaints, legal actions, or withdrawn endorsements involving Charlie Hatcher in the provided sources. The available records focus on his professional background in veterinary medicine and agriculture, his appointment to the state cabinet, and his current political campaign activities ^1456711.

Business interests and wealth source

Charlie Hatcher is a fifth-generation Tennessee dairy farmer who self-describes as living on land his family has worked for over 200 years ⁶⁷. He identifies as a tenth-generation farmer and states that his agricultural legacy was influenced by time spent with his grandfather, Colonel George Hatcher MD, on the family farm in the Arno/College Grove area ⁴. The Hatcher family owns Battle Mountain Farm, which served as the site for Hatcher’s campaign launch event ¹³¹⁴.

Hatcher is a licensed livestock veterinarian who founded Rock-N-Country Veterinary Clinic and started eight successful businesses from scratch, including the Hatcher Family Dairy ⁶⁷¹¹. He previously served as the State Veterinarian of Tennessee for ten years before being appointed Commissioner of Agriculture by Governor Bill Lee in 2019 ¹²¹¹. In that role, he protected animal health and promoted the marketability of animal products across the state ¹¹.

Regarding family business operations, Hatcher’s daughter runs a veterinary office and his son operates the Hatcher Family Dairy, both located in the College Grove area ¹⁰. Hatcher left the position of Agriculture Commissioner on September 30, 2025, to focus on his congressional campaign ¹¹². He has not disclosed specific details regarding personal wealth accumulation or sales of businesses beyond noting his role as a founder of multiple enterprises and current family ownership of agricultural operations ⁶⁷.

Family

Hatcher is a tenth-generation farmer whose family has worked land in the Arno and College Grove, Tennessee, area for over 200 years ⁴⁷. His childhood was influenced by his grandfather, Colonel George Hatcher MD, on the family farm ⁴. He self-describes as a Christian family man ⁶⁷.

Two of Hatcher’s children are involved in family businesses located in the College Grove area: his daughter runs a veterinary office and his son operates the Hatcher Family Dairy ¹⁰.

Sources