MAGA-aligned U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN) wrote today on social media: “Muslims don’t belong in American society. Pluralism is a lie.”
U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS) responded, “It takes breathtaking ignorance to serve in Congress and still not understand that religious freedom applies to everyone.”
Note: In January, Ogles called for a fight to make the USA “a Christian nation,” and wrote on Facebook: “We must stand and reaffirm that this is a Christian Nation. This is a battle of good vs evil.”
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) also replied: “Andy Ogles seems unable to comprehend the basic values the United States was founded on – like religious freedom under the First Amendment. Muslim Americans are our neighbors, colleagues, and friends. They belong here, but this vile Islamophobia doesn’t belong in Congress.”
It takes breathtaking ignorance to serve in Congress and still not understand that religious freedom applies to everyone.
It’s a disgrace that House Republicans continue to elevate and defend this kind of open bigotry. pic.twitter.com/qKpgCs7OM1
— Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (@BennieGThompson) March 9, 2026
Ogles is running for re-election this year with President Trump’s endorsement, and will face primary challengers including Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, who has said: “President Trump is the most impactful president of our lifetime, but that he needs some help from a farmer’s work-hard mentality.”
Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher says he has no intention of dropping his Republican primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles despite President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Ogles’ bid for a third term. #tnpol #tnleghttps://t.co/C8dBFap31g
— State Affairs Tennessee (Tennessee Journal) (@StateAffairsTN) October 28, 2025
One of the Democrats hoping to flip Ogles’s seat is Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder. As seen below, when Molder announced his bid to Congress, he said of Ogles: “We don’t have to be embarrassed by our congressman. Let’s send someone to Washington who will stand up for us and make us all proud.”
Tennessee! We don’t need to be embarrassed by our Congressman.
That’s why I’m launching a different kind of campaign–one that focuses more on making local headlines for the right reasons than national headlines for the wrong ones. Join us at https://t.co/b8hIFelZrz pic.twitter.com/jBypdhrG3x
— Chaz Molder (@chazmolder) September 4, 2025
Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) also castigated Ogles, writing: “I don’t know how many Muslims are in this guy’s district. I know there are tens of thousands in mine. They are parents. Entrepreneurs. Police officers. The firefighter-paramedic giving CPR to save your life. They are us. They are American. This tweet is NOT American.”