Staff Reports
Big out‑of‑state money has shown up in a Tennessee GOP primary, and it’s no accident. A clean‑energy super PAC called the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition is spending nearly $700,000 on ads to boost Charlie Hatcher against U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles. This is a clear play by wealthy renewable‑energy backers to shape which Republicans win primaries — and it deserves a blunt reaction.
What just happened
The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition — organized by clean‑energy executives and led publicly by Tom Matzzie of CleanChoice Energy, with big donors like Chris Larsen — is running almost $700,000 in advertising to raise Charlie Hatcher’s profile in the Tennessee primary. The ads are even scripted to sound like something Republicans would like: “pro‑gun, pro‑life, pro‑Trump.” Meanwhile, the Freedom Caucus Fund has chipped in roughly $285,000 to defend U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles and remind voters that President Donald Trump endorsed him.
Why this matters to conservatives
This is not a friendly debate about policy. It’s out‑of‑state money trying to buy who represents Tennessee Republicans. The clean‑energy PAC is doing what rich donors do best: spend millions to protect policies they like — in this case, tax credits and subsidies for wind and solar. If you think party primaries should be decided by local voters, not by billionaire energy executives, this should bother you.
Yes, the ad looks pro‑Republican — that’s the point
Here’s the little trick: the PAC’s ads are built to appeal to GOP primary voters. They sell Hatcher as a Trump ally and a conservative so local voters think they’re choosing a faithful Republican. But the goal is to reward lawmakers who support clean‑energy tax credits and to punish those who don’t. It’s political mercenary work dressed up as grassroots support.
What conservatives should do next
First, don’t be fooled by slick ads that say “pro‑Trump” but are funded by Silicon Valley cash. Local activists and donors need to push back and make sure voters know who’s bankrolling the message. Second, support bold conservatives who stand for limited government and for the voters who elected them, not for donors who want policy favors. The Freedom Caucus and grassroots groups are already spending to defend Ogles; that fight matters.
In short, this episode is another lesson: outside money will always try to shape our primaries when the stakes are high. If conservatives want real representation — not candidates chosen by someone else’s checkbook — then we need to show up and make our voices louder than their bank accounts.
