The US Capitol.
This week, Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder indicated he is “strongly considering” a run as a Democrat for the fifth Congressional District, possibly pitting him against Republican US Rep. Andy Ogles in 2026.
If Molder decides to enter the race, he would join Mike Cortese, a member of the Metro Council, who has already declared his candidacy and filed the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. Additionally, political activist Maryam Abolfazli, who faced Ogles in the 2024 race, has expressed interest in running again.
Molder stated, “I deserve a lawmaker who wants to go to Washington to make a local headline for the right reasons, instead of trying to make a national headline for the wrong reasons. For these reasons, I can confirm that I am strongly considering this race—not for encouragement from outsiders, but for encouragement from people living in the district.”
He has also called on Ogles to investigate a situation at Belmont University, where a program focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion was reportedly renamed to “hope, unity, and belonging” in an effort to comply with federal laws that could undermine the DEI initiative.
Ogles, meanwhile, urged Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell to look into the federal operation that led to the deportation of almost 200 individuals from South Nashville neighborhoods.
Molder has been serving as mayor since winning the election in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022. Having grown up in Columbia, he holds degrees from the University of Tennessee and the University of Memphis Law School, and he has also graduated from Home and Practical Law.
Molder’s wife, Elizabeth, is a public school teacher, and in 2019, he created the Columbia Mayor Youth Council to help improve conditions for young people in the area.
Three years ago, the Tennessee Legislature restructured the state legislative districts, which split Davidson County into three districts—5, 6, and 7—making District 5 less friendly for Democratic candidates. This change ultimately ended the congressional career of long-serving Democratic lawmaker Jim Cooper.
Cortese has emerged as the most prominent candidate in this race. At the Tennessee Democrats’ annual three-star dinner, he criticized both Republicans and Democrats, asserting they prioritize special interests over the working class.
“I’m running to fight for people who want to make this country work and make damn things work for them,” he declared at the event. “People who make things, fix things, grow things, run all this stuff. We’re regaining the opportunity.”
