SPRING HILL — Voters heard from Democratic, Republican and independent candidates for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District side-by-side for the first — and likely the last — time this election cycle in a forum on Oct. 21.
Tennessee voters don’t often get to hear from candidates side-by-side in a general election. The forum was the first time since 2018 that both Tennessee party nominees seeking federal office faced each other.
Former state agriculture chief Charlie Hatcher, a Republican, and Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, a Democrat, were both cordial and focused on the questions presented by the chambers of commerce of Spring Hill, Williamson County and Maury County. Longshot independent candidate Micheál O'Leary also participated.
Hatcher pledged
to bring the work ethic and skills he’s lived out on his family farm to Congress.
“I’m conservative in the way I live. I’m conservative in my politics. I’m conservative in my fiscal spending — you have to be as a farmer, and that’s just who I am,” Hatcher said. “If I’m elected … I’ll be the only one in D.C. that can milk a cow, do a C-section on a dog, a cat and a cow, balance a farm budget, balance a state budget and help balance the federal budget.”
Molder spoke directly to undecided voters.
“If you are tired about the corruption and chaos that we’re continuing to see in Washington, D.C., if you’re tired with the tariffs that continue to cause prices to rise, if you’re upset about this war of choice that we’re in in Iran … these are the issues I’m telling you I want to help you on,” Molder said. “It’s time for a new generation of leadership in Washington, D.C.”
Past voting trends in the district favor Republicans. But polling this month shows the race has narrowed to 5 percentage points, with Hatcher in the lead.
Here are key takeaways from their conversation.
Lowering costs is a top priority for both
Both Molder and Hatcher agreed that the priority they’d pursue first would be to lower the cost of living.
Molder’s top priority is lowering costs. To do that, he says, he’ll work to end the Iran war and end tariffs.
Hatcher agrees that the “quickest fix” to drive down the cost of living is to end the war in Iran. In the long term, he wants to “unleash American energy” by building new oil refineries within the United States and introducing alternative energy sources, including nuclear.
Both agree the Iran War should end. They disagree on how.
Molder said ending Trump’s “war of choice” in Iran is a top priority, as it’s contributing to high prices.
Hatcher said he supports ending the Iran war “as soon as possible” as long as two conditions are met: Iran can’t have nuclear weapons, and they can’t have “a stranglehold on the global oil market.”
Hatcher told reporters after the formum that presidents of either party should be able to send American soldiers to war without authorization from Congress.
“It’s happened multiple times in history. I don’t think that’s a big issue,” Hatcher said. “There’s enough pressure to close the war out. Everybody knows we need to close the war out. We’ve got to meet the objectives, and then we’ll close the war out.”
Hatcher would not support the impeachment of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over exercising war powers without approval from Congress, which was proposed by outgoing Kentucky Republican U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie.
How will each work with the other party, and Trump?
Hatcher pledged to “collaborate and reach across the aisle,” but said that the environment in Washington “is going to be tough, whoever is there.”
“I will compromise to the point that we can collaborate. I won’t compromise on the values that you or I hold dear,” Hatcher said. “We’ve got to get some leaders who will work together with some common sense and come up with some solutions.”
Molder said the serious issues facing America “aren’t going to be solved by one party,” but instead will be solved by “bringing people together and focusing on solutions.” As mayor, he said, he doesn’t care what party the local city council members are because they’re united in “trying to make our community a better place.”
“I think that’s what we need more of in Washington,” he said. “We need to focus on building bridges to help people who are hurting in this district.”
That includes with the White House. But Molder said he's going to "fight for the people in this district instead of fighting for a party boss."
“When the president is doing something right, I’ll be the first to say it, but I’ll also have the courage to say when he’s doing something wrong,” Molder said.
What’s something Molder agrees with Trump on? Border security.
“I think its important that we have secure borders, and … that’s been one of his initiatives. I think the border is more secure today than it was before he got in,” Molder said.
Big differences on tariff policy
Molder wants to end Trump’s tariff policy, which he says is a big reason things are so expensive.
“Tariffs are hurting people,” Molder said, adding that he wants Congress to exercise oversight appropriately.
“Congress has an obligation, and in fact a constitutional duty, to be the one that authorizes tariffs, and that’s not happening,” Molder said. “I will be a check and balance on tariffs.”
Hatcher said Molder’s anti-tariff view is too wide. He said he knows from firsthand experience how the agriculture industry relies on international trade — and the role tariffs play on foreign competitors.
“The whole tariff thing fires me up a little bit,” Hatcher told the crowd.
Hatcher wants America less dependent on other countries for essentials like computer chips and manufacturing. It’s in that context that he views tariffs as a “tool in the toolbox” to strategically position American industries for success.
“Tariffs are a tool. They can be used effectively, sometimes badly. And the first ones that take the brunt of it are farmers,” Hatcher said. “American farmers want fair and balanced trade.”
For example, tariffs on Canadian dairy products can disincentivize imports that would compete with American dairy producers.
“We don’t need their dairy products, so that makes sense to put a tariff on that,” he said.
And if the goal is to incentivize American steel production and reduce imports from China, he said it “makes good sense to put a tariff on steel coming from China.”
“We need to support American industries, and we need to support American agriculture so that we cannot have other countries hold us hostage like is currently going on,” Hatcher said.
Both committed to a significant presence across the district
Hatcher has said he’d plan to open at least three district offices, and committed to regular meetings with stakeholders and local officials. His top priority if elected, he said, would be constituent services.
Molder said he will have district offices as well as a mobile district office to get to counties where offices aren’t located.
Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Hatcher, Molder meet for forum in TN's most competitive US House race
