Harshbarger’s win leads Trump to call Lee a RINO
(The Center Square) – Tennessee saw several key Republican incumbents fall in Thursday night’s primaries as Jon Lundberg and Frank Niceley lost their Senate bids and Patsy Hazlewood fell 137 votes short in her House bid, along with John Ragan losing by just more than 250 votes.
Lundberg’s loss to Bobby Harshbarger, the son of U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, came in a race that included campaign finance and sign stealing allegations in District 4. Harshbarger received 52% of the vote comparted to Lundberg’s 48%.
The race caught the attention of former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Harshbarger while Gov. Bill Lee endorsed Lundburg. Trump posted on Truth Social congratulating Harshbarger for the win and calling Lee a RINO “whose endorsement meant nothing.”
“Bobby is a true America First Fighter,” Trump wrote.
Republican Reps. Rusty Grills and Chris Todd, meanwhile, withstood challenges.
Jessie Seal defeated incumbent Frank Niceley in the District 8 Republican Senate race with nearly 56% of the vote compared to Niceley’s 44%.
Incumbent Republican Sens. Todd Gardenhire (District 10), Ken Yager (District 12), Ferrell Haile (District 18) and John Stevens (District 24) all withstood primary challengers.
In what was likely the closest race of the night, incumbent Patsy Hazlewood fell by 137 votes to Michele Reneau in the House District 27 Republican primary.
Rick Scarbrough defeated incumbent John Ragan with 52% of the vote compared to Ragan’s 48% in District 33.
