Firebrand conservative and Trump-endorsed incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) lost to former Tennessee Agricultural Commissioner Charlie Hatcher on Thursday in a closely watched primary election. 
Ogles was defeated by Hatcher in Tennessee’s recently redrawn 5th Congressional District, which stretches from south of Nashville to parts of Memphis. Hatcher, endorsed by Republican Governor Bill Lee, won 53.2% of the vote to Ogles&#8217; 46.8%. 
Hatcher, who was agricultural commissioner from 2019 to 2025, emphasized his farming background in a significantly rural district. His campaign was boosted by the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a pro-solar energy PAC that dumped roughly $2 million into the race targeting Ogles, a member of the House Freedom Caucus. 
One of the top funders of the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition is Chris Larsen, a California billionaire who gave  $5,444,975 to support the pro-Kamala Harris Future Forward PAC in 2024, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-trump-ally-warns-super-pac-bankrolled-dem-billionaire-meddling-gop-primary">reported</a>. 
&#8220;When you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they&#8217;re making off of government subsidies, and they&#8217;re upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them,&#8221; Ogles said. 
Ads from the group did not focus on solar energy, but said he would support conservative policies. 
The House Freedom Caucus Fund, which ran ads in support of Ogles, decried the funding from the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition. The group <a href="https://x.com/FreedomCFund/status/2085558263945285696">said</a> he lost because a group “bankrolled by left-wing California Democrats spent $2 million to raid the Republican Primary.” 
The Invest In Tomorrow Coalition <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/07/how-solar-donors-helped-take-down-a-trump-backed-republican-01028209">said</a> it would “continue to punish members of either party who want to play politics with American jobs, energy security, and utility prices. The entire map is in play and we will take this fight across the country through November.”
The group also spent money opposing Rep. Chip Roy’s bid for Texas attorney general and Rep. Ralph Norman’s run for governor in South Carolina. 
Ogles’ defeat is a rare loss for a Trump-endorsed candidate. The president held a tele-rally in support of Ogles last week, where he urged his supporters to “get out and vote for Andy Ogles. He&#8217;s been a friend of mine.”
Hatcher, who bills himself as pro-gun, pro-life, and pro-Trump, will take on Democrat candidate Chaz Molder, the mayor of Columbia, Tennessee. The district is expected to be a win for Republicans in the general election as it went for Trump by double digits in 2024.

House Speaker Johnson Campaigns With Tennessee GOP Congressional Candidate Matt Van Epps

Trump-Backed Freedom Caucus Member Loses Primary Challenge

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested Lorenzo Thompson, an illegal immigrant from Jamaica working as a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines, last week at the Nashville International Airport.
The Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2080391076532166771?s=20">told Fox</a> News that Thompson came to the United States on a six-month visa under Biden in 2021, but refused to leave when the visa expired.
&#8220;Against our nation’s laws, [Lorenzo Thompson] overstayed his visa and failed to depart. He will remain in ICE custody pending his immigration proceedings,&#8221; an ICE representative <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/ice-arrests-southwest-airlines-flight-attendant-nashville-overstaying-visa-2021">told</a> Fox News.
The agency added that illegal immigrants like Thompson who self-deport are given $2,600 cash stipend, a free flight home, and the opportunity to return to the United States legally.
&#8220;We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream,&#8221; the agency said. &#8220;If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.&#8221;
Thompson’s local union chapter, TWU Local 556, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/twulocal556/p/DbHTnc3js81/">said</a> it is in communication with Thompson’s family and is working with its legal counsel on how to address the situation.
“Our priority is, and always will be, standing with and supporting our Members,” it said in a statement. “Every Member deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and we are committed to ensuring this Member and their family know they are not alone during this difficult time.”
The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LCLAA/photos/justice-for-lorenzo-justice-for-johan-justice-for-all-ice-outjoin-or-host-a-nati/1503261605171408/">Labor Council for Latin American Advancement</a> and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/afacwa/posts/we-stand-with-twu-local-556-and-flight-attendant-lorenzo-wrongfully-detained-by-/1454153386748089/">Association of Flight Attendants</a> (AFA) both shared a statement of solidarity with Lorenzo.
“Today, we stand with our brother Enzo and his union family. Together, we reaffirm our commitment to standing by workers and their families through every challenge,” the AFA said.
A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-lorenzo-thompson-fight-ice-detention">GoFundMe</a> for Thompson started by his friend Kristin Foster has raised $43,018 of its $45,000 target as of Thursday afternoon.
“Lorenzo came to the United States legally from Jamaica in 2021, seeking safety from life-threatening abuse,” Foster stated. “Since arriving, he has worked tirelessly to build a stable life, following every legal step toward citizenship. He has no criminal record. No parking tickets. He holds a valid work permit, has a pending case with US immigration and is a dedicated Flight Attendant for a beloved airline.”

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Driving down Tennessee roads with rolling green fields, a big blue sky, and beautiful 19th-century homes, I wasn’t sure what to expect from my interview with Lakelin Lemmings, but I couldn’t wait to find out. Three years ago, the rising star signed a publishing deal with Quartz Hill Records at 17 and a label deal at 19. Just days before the release of her debut album, the Gen Z singer spoke with me about her music, passion for God, goals of motherhood, and mission to &#8220;remain country.&#8221;
Lakelin arrived at the recording studio in a boot-cut denim jumpsuit and red paisley scarf around her neck, and I knew right away this girl wasn’t someone who takes herself too seriously. When I told her that we share the same birth year and I couldn’t wait to hear from a woman who’s dealing with the same issues as other Gen Z girls our age, she smiled. With Lakelin&#8217;s <a href="https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/1UnCpJJNyTv1D8nlKVlgiI">first album</a> coming out on Friday, she is excited.
“I&#8217;m feeling like all the hard work and stuff is about to pay off, and that hopefully everybody loves it as much as I do,” Lakelin said. “I think one of the earliest songs in the album I wrote was when I was freshly 16 and the last one when I turned 19. It&#8217;s finally gonna be introduced into the world.”
Many of the songs in the album tackle the topics of young love, relationships, and heartbreak. As someone who loves “How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days” and any good rom-com, Lakelin said she sometimes pulled inspiration from shows she watched, but she has also dealt with a series of her own relationship struggles.
Like other young women her age, Lakelin has had her share of situationships — a <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/experimentations/202403/are-you-in-a-situationship/amp?utm_source=chatgpt.com">term</a> Gen Z uses to describe a romantic relationship without commitment labels. Lakelin&#8217;s song “What Are We Doing” is trying to figure out just that. In “Get Around Boy,” the song lists the places Lakelin hopes to travel to and describes a young man who stays behind in Tennessee as she chases her dreams. Eventually, Lakelin did travel to nearly all the places she mentions, and now says she has a boy “in the back of my mind.”
As the title “19 &amp; Single” suggests, the song touches on the pressure to get married with lyrics like, “I’m all for a Friday night with the girls / &#8216;Cause 19 and single ain’t the end of the world.” Lakelin said she feels pressure when friends get engaged, married, and start having babies. With earnest hopes for marriage and motherhood, Lakelin said she has made sacrifices to be where she is, but still wants to perform her music and pursue her dreams.
Not all of Lakelin&#8217;s lyrics were inspired by what you’d expect. After singing along in the car to Lakelin’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DbHG1muBl1G/?hl=en">“He Ain’t Coming Back,”</a> I had to get the scoop behind this earworm. Another smile.
“Yeah, so everybody thinks that, you know, ‘He Ain&#8217;t Coming Back’ is about some boy that did me wrong and something like that,” Lakelin said. “But the story of it is actually — I was finishing up writing the album and we needed an up-tempo song.” 
Just days before it was time to record the album, Lakelin texted her two favorite co-writers to tell them the emergency: They had to come up with one more track. They convened on a Friday, but the co-writers had to cancel another appointment to make the timing work. 
“We get there, and we’re writing, and we hadn&#8217;t really gotten a title or anything yet, and — a knock on the door. It&#8217;s the guy that they were supposed to write with,” Lakelin said.
After the co-writers explained the rescheduling and the man’s confusion passed, he left. But the situation was “just really awkward,” Lakelin said.
“My co-writer, after he leaves, is like, ‘Man, I hope he comes back,’ and I just look at him, and I go, ‘Oh, he ain&#8217;t coming back.’ And a light bulb and a flip switched, and we were like, ‘We&#8217;re writing that.’”
Throughout Lakelin’s journey, her faith in God has been central. There have been difficult moments, Lakelin said, but she believes “God’s called me to country music.” Lakelin describes herself as a Christian who writes country music, not as a Christian country artist.
“I feel like there&#8217;s a need in country music for somebody that loves country music and can talk about those types of things, but also is rooted in her faith and is genuinely someone who&#8217;s only after God&#8217;s will,” Lakelin said, noting that Christian country singers often sing traditional Christian songs that feel less “country.”
“I love Christian music, and I&#8217;m sure I&#8217;ll dabble in it,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And I have a little bit to keep the faith life of mine, but I&#8217;m always going to remain country.”
As someone who stays with her family whenever she’s not on the road, Lakelin loves seeing her two little sisters — aged one and three — who know her as “Lae Lae.” Lakelin said she’s like their second mother, with a large age gap between them and the three oldest siblings. Lemmings was the middle child for years with her now 23-year-old sister, whom she would compete with in singing, and a 17-year-old brother. However, after the first daughter left the nest, Lemmings said her parents wanted more kids, dreaming of having a family of eight.
Lakelin’s family couldn&#8217;t be more supportive of her burgeoning music career. Since she was little, Lakelin has performed in competitions, and her extended family still recalls when she was performing at their barbecue singing competition. Lakelin said she does wonder what they think watching her grow from small performances to standing on grand stages. 
How does she stay grounded in some sort of routine with a life that is always moving from writing and recording sessions to performances and tours? She named only two things: her coffee in the morning and her Bible in the evening. 
“After a long week or a long day in the music world, I like to just go home and have a cup of coffee, read my Bible, maybe tan a little bit, and just spend time with family and friends,” she said.
Lakelin has a message to other girls who are dreamers with a desire from God but see too many roadblocks.
“If you&#8217;re gonna be a dreamer, you got to be a doer. And I think that if you have a dream, then chase it,” Lakelin said. “If it&#8217;s God&#8217;s will and his plan, then it&#8217;s going to work out just the way it&#8217;s supposed to. It&#8217;s going to be hard at times to trust that and trust in Him, but you just got to keep the faith.”
***
This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.

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The Country Star Bringing Faith To Center Stage

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An illegal immigrant will spend 20 years in prison after admitting to murdering a beloved Nashville restaurant owner. 
Ulises Martinez, a 26-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, pleaded <a href="https://sci.ccc.nashville.gov/Search/CriminalHistory?P_CASE_IDENTIFIER=ULISES%5EMARTINEZ%5E09131999%5E624024">guilty</a> on Wednesday to second-degree murder after he slammed his truck into 42-year-old Matt Carney during an attempted robbery two years ago. The case drew national attention as President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-decries-vicious-illegal-immigrant-suspected-of-murdering-nashville-restaurant-owner?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Decries+%E2%80%98Vicious%E2%80%99+Illegal+Immigrant+Suspected+Of+Murdering+Nashville+Restaurant+Owner">pointed to it</a> as an example of a migrant crime wave during his 2024 presidential campaign.
The incident took place on June 19, 2024, outside of Smokin Thighs, a popular Nashville chicken restaurant owned and operated by Carney that began as a food truck. Carney was locking up his restaurant when he walked outside to find two men stealing tools from his truck. After Carney confronted them, the men, both illegal immigrants, rammed into Carney with their truck, throwing him onto the sidewalk, before taking off. 
Olivia Lehing, who witnessed the scene, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-confesses-to-killing-nashville-man-in-hit-and-run">said</a> she was driving when she saw a truck send a body “into the air” and then drive “very fast” away from the scene
Carney died from injuries sustained during the incident several weeks later. Martinez was on the run for several weeks before he was arrested on July 18, hiding out in a Nashville motel. 
Smokin Thighs closed down in October 2024 after almost ten years in business. 
“Places like this do not just exist everywhere and in every neighborhood,” former Smokin Thighs manager Landon Allen <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2026/07/22/nashville-smokin-thighs-matthew-carney-murder-guilty-sentence">told</a> The Tennessean. “When he was taken from us, it all died with him.”
In addition to the murder charge, Martinez pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and two counts of theft. Martinez, who required an interpreter throughout the proceedings, is expected to be deported after serving the 20-year sentence. Carney’s widow reportedly supported the plea deal. 
Martinez’s immigration status was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-accused-of-killing-nashville-restaurant-owner-had-previous-felony-charges-dismissed">first reported</a> by The Daily Wire, with ICE saying that he unlawfully entered the country at an unknown date and location. The other man in the vehicle with Martinez, 31-year-old Adrian Diaz-Aguirre, had previous criminal convictions and has been deported four times.
Just months before Carney’s murder, a Nashville judge <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-accused-of-killing-nashville-restaurant-owner-had-previous-felony-charges-dismissed">let Martinez go</a> free after he was accused of stealing a white van, a red truck, and tools from a white truck.
Nashville Judge Jim Todd dismissed all three charges during a preliminary hearing in March 2024, claiming police had failed to show probable cause. 
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-decries-vicious-illegal-immigrant-suspected-of-murdering-nashville-restaurant-owner?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Decries+%E2%80%98Vicious%E2%80%99+Illegal+Immigrant+Suspected+Of+Murdering+Nashville+Restaurant+Owner">discussed</a> the incident during an August campaign rally in Montana. 
“Look at what’s happening to our cities. Our cities are being overrun,” Trump said. “On July 4th, a 42-year-old Nashville man died after he tried to stop an illegal alien from stealing tools out of his truck. The illegal alien did a number on this man that nobody could even believe. The police officers said [it was] one of the most vicious crimes they’ve ever seen.”

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Illegal Who Murdered Beloved Restaurant Owner Sentenced To Prison

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When Marsha Blackburn visited The Daily Wire earlier this month, she laid out her vision for Tennessee.
“Tennessee is a conservative state — we don’t have a state income tax, we don’t allow illegals to run our state, we fight to protect faith, family, freedom, hope, and opportunity,” Blackburn said. “And I want to keep it that way.”
“That’s why I’m running for governor. We have the potential to be America’s conservative leader.”
It’s a message you hear a lot from the senator. But I’ve lived in Tennessee for three years now, and have heard it in person from Blackburn many times. It doesn’t get old, because it validates my decision to be one of the thousands of Americans to leave a blue city and move here.
My family was tired of worrying about how our kids were being indoctrinated at school. We dreaded paying into a tax system that would spend our money on things we hate. We wanted to live in a state that America’s best companies <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tennessee-paramount-1236648159/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are flocking to</a>, not <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-leaving-california-list-2025-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">running away from</a>. I work for a company that ran here from California. I want what Marsha Blackburn is promising: to make sure Tennessee remains America’s conservative leader.
Why trust that Marsha Blackburn will deliver? Simply put, I’ve seen her do it. The first time I ever stepped foot in Tennessee was in 2018, to cover the Senate race between Blackburn and Democrat Phil Bredesen, a popular former governor. It was one of the Democrats’ big targets for the cycle, with a longtime Republican incumbent retiring and a great recruit in Bredesen. Most prognosticators rated it a toss-up. Weeks out, polls in the state had Bredesen winning.
It was a tough cycle for Republicans. Democrats won 41 seats in the House, handing the gavel back to Nancy Pelosi. It was a different story in Tennessee: Blackburn smoked Bredesen by 10 points. Six years later, she smoked her Democrat opponent by 30 points.
It’s because Tennessee sees what Blackburn is doing. Before she was in Congress, she was in the state legislature leading the charge to get rid of the state income tax. In Washington, she’s established herself as an influential member of President Donald Trump’s inner circle, bringing the president’s attention to our state. She’s also been at the forefront of the fight to protect women’s sports from liberal insanity.
It was Blackburn, in fact, who first asked a Supreme Court nominee the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/im-not-a-biologist-supreme-court-nominee-says-she-cant-define-the-word-woman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">question the Left still can’t answer</a>: What is a woman?
I had the chance to be a fly on the wall for a site visit that Blackburn took to the massive xAI complex Elon Musk is building in Memphis. She was not in campaign mode — she was digging in on the issues that make Tennessee a magnet for big business looking to succeed, and knew the issues on a granular level. The company is building the largest supercomputer in the world, and informed leaders like Blackburn helped convince Musk to build it in Tennessee.
Others have thrown their hat in the ring to challenge Blackburn. Republican Congressman John Rose has been largely self-funding his campaign, which is buoyed by $7 million in spending — compared to just $1 million from Blackburn.
He’s running as a successful Tennessee businessman, but his business record has been a problem. Oddest was the snafu regarding his campaign ad promising that he wouldn’t let “woke” companies like Starbucks come to Tennessee to “push DEI.”
It was a good ad, until it was revealed that the software<a href="https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/06/17/john-rose-starbucks-ad-tennessee-dei/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> company where he’s CEO posted about Black Lives Matter</a> on Instagram in 2020. His company deleted the post; he said he had no idea.
There are also questions over whether he’s overstating his business record. In his campaign posts, he talks about being the founder of an IT training company. But he has also said to the press, prior to his political career, that he actually wasn’t the founder at all. He joined the company two years after it was founded, he told The Tennessean.
“Well, actually I was not the founder of the business,” the paper quoted Rose as saying. “A friend of mine who was in law school with me at Vanderbilt started Transcender Corp. in &#8217;92. In fact, he pretty much ran the business in the apartment until 1994, and I joined him full-time at that point.”
It’s an odd thing to misrepresent.
Then there’s Monty Fritts, a one-term state lawmaker who says he’ll “be surprised” if he doesn’t win. He says Tennessee is sick of politicians like Blackburn, a claim undermined by her electoral success.
It’s unclear what exactly we should be sick of in Tennessee. We’ve been at the forefront of every national victory, because of leaders like Blackburn. Tennessee is growing because people and some of the most successful corporations in the world want to be part of it.
Marsha Blackburn is the leader who will keep that momentum going, and make it undeniable that Tennessee is America’s conservative leader. Early voting starts on Friday.

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Why Marsha Blackburn Is The Right Choice For Tennessee

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Tennessee has extended an invitation to Paramount Skydance to move its corporate headquarters to the Volunteer State amid the company&#8217;s escalating standoff with California, where the attorney general is now suing to block its planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
Tennessee Deputy Governor Stuart McWhorter, a Republican, wrote a letter to Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, urging him to consider moving the entertainment company&#8217;s headquarters from California to Tennessee, The Hollywood Reporter <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tennessee-paramount-1236648159/">learned</a>.
California Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 other attorneys general <a href="https://x.com/RobBonta/status/2076723321354469515?s=20">sued</a> to stop the merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. The lawsuit could delay the merger and cost Paramount hundreds of millions of dollars.
“For generations, Tennessee has been one of America’s most business-friendly states,” McWhorter <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/1062064139/Paramount-Skydance-Letter-ecd#download&amp;from_embed">wrote</a>. “Our success is rooted in fiscal discipline, low taxes, predictable governance, and a steadfast belief that government should be a partner in private-sector growth. Companies that choose Tennessee find more than a favorable business climate — they find a state committed to helping them succeed.”
McWhorter also boasted about Tennessee being “the convergence of creativity, technology, and innovation,” having “one of the nation’s strongest workforce development systems,” and maintaining the conservative values of “service, community, and the importance of family.” 
“As Paramount Skydance writes its next chapter, Tennessee offers a compelling proposition: a state where creativity and technology converge, where talent is developed intentionally, and where innovation is embraced,” McWhorter wrote. “We would welcome the opportunity to share our vision for how Tennessee could help shape the future of Paramount Skydance and its talented team.”
Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee has expressed similar sentiments online, <a href="https://x.com/GovBillLee/status/2077228598147129475?s=20">stating</a> in an X post, “Paramount has played an important role in shaping American culture, &amp; we’d welcome the opportunity to see the next chapter of that story unfold in the Volunteer State.”
The Daily Wire recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/even-a-media-giant-may-be-ready-to-leave-democrat-run-state?row=0&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;rowType=Web+Search+Overlay">reported that</a> friends and advisers close to Ellison told him to “consider shifting his business out of” California and to move the company’s $30 billion in planned spending elsewhere, according to a recent Semafor <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/07/12/2026/paramount-weighs-leaving-california-over-warner-bros-rift">report</a>.
Paramount currently owns CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, BET, and Paramount Pictures. By acquiring Warner Bros., the company would gain rights to brands including DC Studios, Warner Bros. Animation, HBO, Discovery Channel, Cartoon Network, CNN, Food Network, and Oprah Winfrey Network. Ellison hopes the move can make Paramount a suitable competitor to rivals like Netflix and Amazon.
The states allege the merger would give the combined company control of nearly one-third of theatrical motion pictures and nearly one-third of basic cable programming. Paramount responded to the lawsuit in a statement, calling it &#8220;wrong on both the facts and the law.&#8221;
FedEx, Tesla, Oracle, Chevron, and AutoZone are all major companies that have left California in recent years in favor of red states like Tennessee and Texas.

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Red State Courts Paramount As Media Giant Considers Fleeing California

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<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/11/worst-states-to-live-in-america-2026.html">CNBC</a> just ranked America’s worst place to live in 2026, and the No. 1 spot goes to Tennessee. But looking at the scorecard, it seems one person’s best life might be another’s worst nightmare.
Earning just 64 out of 290 points when it comes to quality of life (it might have gotten an F-minus if it weren’t for that fresh country air), the Volunteer State’s most serious threats to an ideal daily routine are strong families, designated bathrooms, and biology. 
I <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whats-wrong-with-nashville-everyone-is-so-happy-here">recently moved</a> from CNBC’s <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/09/americas-top-states-for-business-full-rankings.html">17th best state</a> (California, with its redwood forests, cinematic coastlines, and suffocating cost of living) to Tennessee because of cheaper gas, no state income tax, and Southern hospitality. How could the world capital of music and the birthplace of <a href="https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/johnson-city-marion-or-knoxville-where-did-mountain-dew-begin/">Mountain Dew</a> rank below the state best known for entitled nepo babies fighting in Whole Foods’ parking lot and residents contracting <a href="https://lacounty.gov/2026/04/02/public-health-reports-all-time-high-of-flea-borne-typhus-cases/">typhus</a> in the year of our Lord 2026?
Something seemed fishy about these alleged “quality of life” metrics. Among the rest of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnbcs-10-worst-states-list-shows-hilarious-anti-conservative-bias">top 10 worst states</a> — in order of least to most terrible: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Missouri, Utah, Georgia, Louisiana, Indiana, and Texas — every state on the bad list was conservative.
“If Tennessee was really the worst state to live in, people wouldn’t be moving there in large numbers, which they are,” Florida Governor <a href="https://x.com/RonDeSantis/status/2076420696838701538">Ron DeSantis</a> posted on X.
He’s not wrong. But did I and nearly <a href="https://usafacts.org/answers/what-states-are-people-moving-to-and-from/state/tennessee/">200,000</a> other people who have relocated to Tennessee since 2020 make the biggest mistake of our lives? Placing a hold on my future Tecova cowboy boots in my online shopping cart, I dug into the details. 
On the surface, healthcare, crime, air quality, and cost of living seem like valid benchmarks for a state’s livability. Who wouldn’t hope for unlimited sunny days, good health, reasonable housing and grocery prices, and few-to-no random drive-bys? But add in “inclusiveness of state laws and reproductive rights,” and red states such as Tennessee get slammed while <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/11/best-states-to-live-in-america-2026.html">Vermont</a> wins CNBC’s best state in America six years in a row. (For the record, Vermont came in 47th for homelessness, a crisis it hopes to fix with <a href="https://vtdigger.org/2026/06/16/phil-scott-signs-bill-that-will-restructure-vermonts-homelessness-response/">$83 million</a> in services. Guess you only need a sleeping bag to love the Maple State life.)
Tennessee got dinged for laws allegedly targeting its own 300,000-person LGBTQ community (who, notably, have been openly celebrating <a href="https://www.nashvillepride.org/">Pride</a> since 1988), requiring trans-identifying people to use the bathroom matching their biological sex, barring the reversal of that law by individual businesses, and designating June “Nuclear Family Month.”
Louisiana’s reluctance to go along with affirmative action, Georgia’s protection of religious freedom, and Oklahoma’s ban on abortion earned each of these states a poor grade from the uncritical news outlet. 
The report also cited Tennessee’s high violent crime stats, per FBI data, and its third-highest drug-related deaths in the nation, according to United Health Foundation reports. Take Democrat-run <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2025/09/05/this-tennessee-city-has-highest-violent-crime-rate-country-see-where-your-home-ranks/">Memphis</a> out of the equation, and Tennessee hits closer to the national average.
I have a hard time believing that most people base their location on their preferred bathroom. Remember when we used to have “unisex” toilets, AKA solo experiences with locking doors? How about non-gendered bathrooms? Life’s so good, we’re inventing problems to solutions we already had.
So what are people actually looking for when it comes to the ideal quality of life? Real people, I mean. The ones who go to work every day, raise families, worry about homework assignments and soccer practice, make dentist appointments, and have to mow the lawn before that storm rolls in.
Well, it turns out, most of us agree on this highly subjective measure of personal fulfillment. Are we <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/q/quality-of-life.asp">financially secure</a>, connected to a community, satisfied with work, and pretty darn healthy? Then we enjoy living in our place. When this is easier, life is sunnier. When states make it harder on us (not to name names, Shmalifornia), well, you get it.
“I moved from California to Tennessee in 2022 and it was probably the best decision I&#8217;ve ever made,” posted <a href="https://x.com/SwipeWright/status/2076712668270862805?s=20">Colin Wright</a>, evolutionary biologist and fellow at the Manhattan Institute. “I love it here.” 
For me, the proof is in the pudding. Not only can I see a future in the so-called worst state in America, but I see so many other people thriving in Tennessee and other coastal alternatives, too. Transplants claim they’ve never nurtured stronger friendships, families flourish in safe neighborhoods and rigorous schools, and (thank you, Jesus) people complain when gas prices top $3 — a supersaver discount compared to most major cities. 
And I can’t ignore the comments section. I admit this is a total generalization, but people from coastal cities often attempt to dare outsiders to try to afford elite life among the cosmopolitan tastemakers of the country. It’s like luring someone to a city based on clout and likes. On the flip side, those living in more affordable cities are less open to inviting New Yorkers and Californians (along with their perceived politics and highway-clogging cars) to invade their local towns. 
The population influx changes these gems of America in lasting ways, and not always for the better. I know I’m part of the problem. Well, at least my car is when it comes to morning and evening rush hour traffic. 
About that worst state status, six-year Tennessean and LA refugee <a href="https://x.com/TomiLahren/status/2076524422458925239?s=20">Tomi Lahren</a> posted, “It’s okay we are full, we actually don’t need any PR. We are happy if people … take their Lib sh*t somewhere else!”
Former Virginia state delegate <a href="https://x.com/NickJFreitas/status/2076453598259511610?s=20">Nick Freitas</a> commented, “I totally agree … Tennessee is the worst!! Please tell all of your woke leftist friends what a terrible place it is and that they should never move here under any circumstances.”
<a href="https://x.com/JoeGayHistorian/status/2076716906464092240?s=20">One user</a> revealed his inconvenient truth, posting, “I’m gay. Moved to a small town Tennessee in 2023 after living in big cities all my adult life. My closest friends are now straight men … and they treat me with more dignity and respect than I have ever received from the TQ+ crowd.”
With rankings like these, there’s still hope that the Volunteer State — even with its NashVegas bachelorettes — will remain one of the most iconic states in America, and never turn into Tennefornia. 
***
This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.

When Family Values Become A Strike Against ‘Quality Of Life’

Blue States

Red States

The Nashville Police Department held a diversity training session for recruits inside a gay nightclub during Pride Month, bringing trainees together with members of the city&#8217;s LGBTQ community.
The session took place at Play Nashville, known around Nashville for its drag performances. Video shared by the mayor&#8217;s office shows recruits seated inside the venue, participating in a moderated discussion. 
Officer Darci Stechman, the department&#8217;s LGBTQ liaison, told recruits to come prepared with questions before the discussion: &#8220;Otherwise it&#8217;s going to be awkward, and you’re just going to be staring at one another for an hour and a half.” 
She added, “Nashville is very diverse, so we’re exposing the trainees to these different communities and letting them learn a little bit more about the people they may interact with within the community.&#8221; 
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The video also shows recruits speaking with Councilmember Olivia Hill, the first transgender-identifying man elected to the Metro Council. 
Nashville Democratic Mayor Freddie O&#8217;Connell&#8217;s office said the visit was part of the department&#8217;s standard diversity tour for recruits, not a one-time Pride Month event. 
“Metro Nashville Police recruits do a diversity tour before they ever hit the streets,” O&#8217;Connell&#8217;s office said. “Mayor O’Connell is committed to a city for everyone and that starts by bringing people together.”
The mayor&#8217;s office and the police department both shared video of the training on social media.
The police training is one of several diversity initiatives promoted by Nashville government agencies in recent years. The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-before-historic-storm-embattled-electric-service-asked-workers-if-they-had-gay-friends">previously reported</a> that Nashville Electric Service (NES) employees participated in diversity training before a crippling January ice storm left 230,000 customers without power. NES employees were asked to recognize their “implicit biases” and whether they had a diverse friend group. 
Trainings were required for all supervisors and managers, and modules were “completed by employees in 2023-2025,” according to an NES spokesperson. 
O’Connell is known for his leftist ideas, including his focus on climate change and anti-ICE stance. In May of last year, the mayor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashvilles-democrat-mayor-doxxes-ice-agents">doxxed</a> multiple ICE Agents after his office released information on the interactions between ICE agents and Nashville emergency service personnel. The mayor’s office claimed the names were released by mistake.

WATCH: Police Dept Brought Recruits To A Gay Club For Diversity Training

Diversity

LGBTQ

Police

Marsha Blackburn&#8217;s first appearance on the Tennessee airwaves as she ramps up her run for governor features her literally crushing Chinese fortune cookies.
The longtime Republican lawmaker who just over a year ago was reelected to the U.S. Senate dropped her first statewide ad in her campaign for governor on Wednesday, and is using the spot to promise voters that she will fight to &#8220;protect Tennessee land from Chinese front companies.&#8221;
&#8220;How hard am I gonna crack down on China? Well, here’s a clue,&#8221; Blackburn says as she smashes fortune cookies revealing her campaign promises. &#8220;It doesn&#8217;t take a fortune cookie to figure it out: here in Tennessee we’re going to stop Communist China and protect Tennessee land.&#8221;
Blackburn has voiced her views on China in the House of Representatives since <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/taking-on-china-since-day-one-senator-blackburn-s-record">2003</a> when she recognized the threat of Chinese intellectual property theft. In the ad, Blackburn promises to work with the Trump administration to continue the fight.
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This video is reminiscent of her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YCw15PHHLQ">campaign ad</a> for re-election as Senator, where she broke “China” plates, asserting that China was buying up land.
Blackburn told The Daily Wire that she views Tennessee as &#8220;America&#8217;s conservative leader&#8221; and wants to lead the way on the important issue of cracking down on Chinese incursions into the country.
“As I&#8217;ve said from the beginning, Tennessee should be America’s conservative leader, and one of the places that we can — and should — lead is in showing the rest of America how to stand up to and confront Communist China,” Blackburn said. “As governor, I&#8217;ll work with the legislators to tighten up those loopholes and hunt down every adversary who tries to get a foothold in our state.” 
Blackburn’s focus on preventing the CCP from controlling Tennessee land stems from issues dating back to 2023. Tennessee <a href="https://wpln.org/post/a-new-tennessee-law-blocks-some-immigrants-from-buying-property/">created legislation</a> to stop foreign governments from buying agricultural-land if they are a country sanctioned by the U.S. government. 
The concern over foreign ownership of land was sparked by the fact that the company Walton Tennessee LLC, a &#8220;shell company&#8221; with no significant assets or operations, has bought around 500 acres. Loudon County Mayor <a href="https://www.wate.com/news/top-stories/east-tn-leaders-raise-concern-over-foreign-owned-land-in-loudon-county/">Buddy Bradshaw had said</a> that “it’s not like it’s half-acre lots, we’re looking at a 500-acre tract of some pretty good real estate right there.” The acres run alongside land adjacent to military bases like the McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base.
Walton Tennessee has sold over 100 parcels of land for as cheap as $10 to foreign entities over the past few years. Nationwide, the CCP holdings of U.S. agricultural-land has risen by over <a href="https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/fact-sheet-chinese-communist-party-ccp-ownership-of-agricultural-land-is-a-threat-to-tennessee">5,300% </a>from 2010 to 2020, owning “352,140 acres of U.S. land valued at $1.9 billion.” 
Blackburn is the heavy favorite to be the Republican nominee, with a primary election set for the beginning of August. She was reelected to the U.S. Senate in 2024 by nearly 30 percentage points, and is overwhelmingly popular in the state.

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Marsha Blackburn Crushes Chinese Fortune Cookies In First Ad Of Gov Campaign

A part-time conductor at a famous Tennessee railway has been fired after a viral video captured him spreading an Independence Day message to passengers. 
Jack Peterson, the now-fired conductor for Chattanooga’s Inclined Railway, can be heard in the viral TikTok video wishing the easily-offended passengers a “Happy Independence Day.”
“To the very, very few Americans in here, Happy Independence Day,” Peterson said in the video, while one of the passengers told him to “shut up.”
“To the rest of you. Welcome to the greatest country on the face of the planet, and if you disagree, you can leave,” Peterson said.
The video was taken and uploaded by Nathan Scherer, who traveled with his family from Florida to Chattanooga for July 4.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@natescherer/video/7658823571321392415" data-video-id="7658823571321392415">
<section><a title="@natescherer" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@natescherer?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@natescherer</a> Had an interesting train operator on The Incline in TN today <a title="lookoutmountain" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/lookoutmountain?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#lookoutmountain</a> <a title="racism" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/racism?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#racism</a> <a title="xenophobia" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/xenophobia?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#xenophobia</a> <a title="theincline" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/theincline?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#theincline</a> <a title="tennessee" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tennessee?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#tennessee</a> <a title="♬ original sound - Nathan Scherer" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7658823576195222302?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound &#8211; Nathan Scherer</a></section>
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Scherer used hashtags such as “racism” and “xenophobia” on TikTok, where the video has been viewed over 600,000 times.
“It just really upset me, the whole time riding down,” Charles Scherer, Nathan’s father, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@katiegweather/video/7659510303801019678">told</a> Katie Glanton with WTVC. “And I kept thinking the company needs to know about this because he was the only one representing the company and I just had a feeling that they don’t know that he is saying this.”
Scherer reported the incident to the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), and Peterson was fired immediately, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/08/us-news/tennessee-railway-conductor-jack-peterson-fired-over-his-viral-independence-day-message-to-passengers/">according</a> to the New York Post. 
“He will not work for CARTA or the Incline Railway again,” CARTA said in a statement <a href="https://newschannel9.com/news/local/after-viral-video-incline-railway-conductor-fired-carta-apologizes-for-remarks-he-made-carta-tiktok-tourism-scott-wilson-chattanooga-attraction">reported</a> by News Channel 9.
“I want to apologize directly to the passengers who experienced this and to everyone who has seen the video and felt its sting. It should never have happened,” said CARTA Chief of Staff Scott Wilson in an emailed statement. “We have zero tolerance for language that demeans or excludes anyone who rides with us.”
“For 131 years, the Incline Railway has welcomed visitors from Chattanooga and from around the world,” Wilson said. “Every passenger who boards our railway deserves to feel respected and welcome, and we are committed to making sure that is always the case.”
Peterson responded with his own statement and backed up his remarks, Fox 17 <a href="https://fox17.com/newsletter-daily/after-viral-video-incline-railway-conductor-fired-carta-apologizes-for-remarks-he-made-carta-tiktok-tourism-scott-wilson-chattanooga-attraction">reported</a>. 
&#8220;I&#8217;m very patriotic, it was the USA&#8217;s Independence Day. I was celebrating with my fellow Americans (native or non-native). I truly do believe we are the greatest country on earth. My statement about if you don&#8217;t like the country and don&#8217;t believe we are the best, then you can leave is a freedom of the ISA [sic] that many other countries do not have. It is not a racist or xenophobic thing to say. If you don&#8217;t believe in making this country better, then why are you here?&#8221;

A Patriotic Message To Passengers Just Got A Railway Conductor Fired

Railway Conductor Fired For Patriotic Message To Passengers

Independence Day

Ten Tennessee teenagers were arrested and face criminal charges in connection with a viral social media door-kicking challenge.
The “Door Kick Challenge” is a controversial social media trend in which individuals—typically young people—kick residential front doors, often at night, and quickly flee the area. 
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KNOCK IT OFF: Police are warning residents about a viral TikTok trend known as the “door kick” or “door knock challenge” after three Florida teenagers were arrested for allegedly kicking a homeowner&#8217;s door. <a href="https://t.co/CSNJFqv88Q">pic.twitter.com/CSNJFqv88Q</a>
— Seattle Smith🇺🇸 (@smith_seattle1) <a href="https://x.com/smith_seattle1/status/1996461333710352702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
Attempting to outdo the “ding-dong ditch” prank, the challenge has at times led to property damage and safety concerns. 
Spanning <a href="https://www.police1.com/social-media/breaking-down-the-door-kick-challenge-a-viral-trend-with-real-world-risks">across the country</a> and <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/nanaimo-door-kick-challenge-9.7251462">around the world</a>, the trend has taken on a life of its own—and now carries real-world consequences for a group of teenagers in a Nashville suburb.
<a href="https://x.com/FranklinTNPD/status/2072717353658314927?s=20">The Franklin Police Department</a> arrested ten teenagers, ages 14 to 18, for allegedly participating in the prank. Just after 11 p.m. on Tuesday, officers responded to multiple reports of individuals kicking or striking the front doors of homes, then fleeing in the upscale neighborhood. 
“After receiving multiple calls, Franklin police officers quickly flooded the area, established a perimeter, and sealed off the neighborhood,” the police department said. “During the operation, officers located a vehicle carrying all 10 suspects.”
Inside the vehicle, police officers said they found a BB gun designed to closely resemble a real handgun, along with a ski mask. Two adults, Gio Smith, 18, and Jordan Curll, 18, were charged with aggravated burglary, vandalism, and contributing to the delinquency of a child. Eight additional suspects, ages 14 to 17, were taken into custody and charged in Juvenile Court with aggravated burglary, vandalism, and curfew violations.
&#8220;This dangerous trend is far from harmless,&#8221; said Franklin Police Chief Deb Faulkner. &#8220;Kicking the door of an occupied home in the middle of the night creates fear and uncertainty for the people inside. 
“Homeowners have no way of knowing whether someone is playing a prank or attempting to break into their home, and they may respond accordingly to protect themselves and their families,” she added.  
Franklin, an affluent suburb known for its Southern charm, is the latest community to report arrests tied to the trend.
Out west in California, police have reported eight incidents in Elk Grove, a suburb of Sacramento, resulting in five juvenile arrests, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/door-kick-challenge-arrests-elk-grove/">according to CBS Sacramento</a>. One homeowner’s doorframe was damaged so severely that repair costs totaled $900. 
&#8220;Somebody could come out with a gun, and you could never know, these kids could be dead just for a stupid prank,&#8221; homeowner Ronnie Monroe told the outlet. 
In Frisco, Texas, police arrested a 58-year-old man for aggravated assault after he allegedly fired multiple rounds at a vehicle fleeing a neighborhood following the door-kicking prank. 
“Parents, please talk to your kids about the dangers of participating in these types of TikTok challenges,” <a href="https://www.friscotexas.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/2470">said</a> Frisco Police Chief David Shilson. “For homeowners, it is important to understand that there are legal and criminal consequences for running outside and shooting at a vehicle fleeing the scene.”

Viral Social Media Prank Lands Ten Teens In Custody

News

Social Media

Country music&#8217;s biggest stars packed Nashville&#8217;s Nissan Stadium on Saturday night to celebrate Alan Jackson as he performed the final concert of his legendary career.
The 67-year-old singer-songwriter put on his last set alongside George Strait, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Jon Pardi, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Lee Ann Womack, and other artists who gathered to honor Jackson. The event was filmed for an NBC concert special celebrating Jackson ahead of his retirement. 
Jackson performed many of his well-known hits, including singles “Gone Country,” “Livin’ on Love,” “Summertime Blues” and “Midnight in Montgomery.” He also played “Little Bitty,” “Country Boy,” “Good Time,” and his post-9/11 anthem, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).” Fireworks lit up the sky during “Chattahoochee,” according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/alan-jackson-final-concert-george-strait-72ebb2f87fdca2c2ae8a7308278c9b9b">Associated Press</a>.
Jackson addressed the crowd, saying the experience was “overwhelming” before joking that he wouldn&#8217;t spend much time on “last show stuff” because he’s “not dead.”
Jackson announced last year that he would retire from touring, telling fans during a concert in Milwaukee that it would be his &#8220;last roadshow.&#8221; 
“It’s been a long, sweet ride; it started 40 years ago this September. My wife and I drove to Nashville with an old U-Haul trailer and chased this dream,&#8221; Jackson said. &#8220;It’s been a crazy ride. I lived the American Dream, for sure. So blessed. Thank you all so much for all your support of my music and attending my shows.” 
The announcement came four years after Jackson revealed that he had been diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a neurological disorder.
“I’ve been reluctant to talk about this publicly and to my fans, but it’s been a while, and it’s starting to affect my performance onstage a little bit where I don’t feel comfortable,” Jackson said in 2021.
“I just wanted the fans and the public to know if they’ve come to see me in the last few years or if they come to see me in the future if I play anymore, what’s going on. I don’t want them to think I’m drunk onstage because I’m having problems with mobility and balance.” 
While Jackson said the condition is not fatal, he acknowledged it would eventually make performing more difficult.
“This is not a condition that I would be complaining about typically, but it is going to affect me performance-wise onstage, and I don’t know how much I’ll continue to tour,” Jackson said at the time.
Jackson is known for blending traditional honky-tonk with mainstream country, creating a signature sound. With more than 60 million albums sold, 35 number-one hits, and numerous awards, including Grammys and CMA honors, he’s one of country music’s most enduring and respected artists.

Alan Jackson

Country Legends Unite For Farewell Show

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