Multiple sources tell The Tennessee Star that TN-5 candidate Kurt Winstead’s wife, Democrat lobbyist Beth Winstead, holds a firm grip on his campaign apparatus and advocated in favor of the three-year residency law which mandates that candidates in federal races in Tennessee must be residents of the state for three years in order to qualify to be on a partisan primary ballot.
The Star reached out to Beth Winstead, asking if the lobbyist could comment on the following questions:
1 – How have your professional lobbying activities intersected with your husband’s campaign for TN-5? For example, several of your clients are donors to your husband’s TN-5 campaign.
2 – Is there a conflict of interest there? What steps have you and your husband taken to ensure that these clients are not expecting anything in return should he be elected to the U.S. House? Would you consider stepping down from your lobbyist position?
3 – Multiple sources state that you expressed support for the 3-year residency law, to legislators, legislative aides, et cetera. Could you comment on your involvement in supporting the 3-year residency law?
Beth Winstead refused to address the questions or deny the reports that she helped push the residency legislation, replying, “I am not the candidate, and will defer to the campaign to answer your questions. Thank you.”
Kurt Winstead’s campaign did not return requests for comment as of press time.
Winstead himself once worked for his wife’s firm, McMahan Winstead and Richardson.
Several of Beth Winstead’s lobbying clients, who have Democrat donation histories, are high-dollar donors to the Kurt Winstead for Congress campaign.
That residency law passed both the State House and State Senate overwhelmingly in late March and became law without Governor Lee’s signature. The Tennessee secretary of state’s office later said that legislation would not take effect for the 2022 elections.
Many political observers believe, at least in part, that legislation was targeted at the now-disqualified and former TN-5 candidate Morgan Ortagus, who had registered to vote in the state mere months prior to declaring her run for the seat.
Once endorsed by former President Trump, Ortagus threw her support behind Kurt Winstead in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat after being disqualified from the ballot by the Tennessee Republican Party.
Three individuals spoke with The Star on background. Two of them are General Assembly staffers and one is a Tennessee state senator.
“Yes, Beth Winstead was a part of the effort to pass the residency bill. There were a lot of folks interested in getting that done and she was one of them,” the State Senate staffer said.
“I remember Beth Winstead was interested in seeing that legislation get through the House. She gets things done, so her advocacy for the bill certainly helped,” a State House staffer said.
A Tennessee state senator additionally told The Star on background, “Beth Winstead was definitely part of the process to pass the residency bill. She’s a Democrat lobbyist, you know. Republicans and Democrats all love the residency bill. They want to be represented by Tennesseans.”
Previously reported by The Star, Beth Winstead is reportedly heavily involved in his campaign apparatus and has brought her significant influence to bear on her husband’s campaign fundraising. Beth Winstead is a lobbyist at McMahan Winstead & Richardson, and has also donated to Democrats and voted in several Democrat primaries.
Beth Winstead’s Democrat donation history shows contributions of $250 to Hillary Clinton for President in 2007, $250 to Bob Clement for U.S. Senate in 2002, and Friends of John Tanner in 2000.
Beth Winstead also voted in the 2004 Democrat presidential preference primary and voted in the 2000, 1996, and 1994 August Democrat primaries.
Her history does show Republican donations and participation in GOP primaries, which would not be uncommon for a lobbyist.
Her professional biography says she served in the administration of former Gov. Ned McWherter (D-TN) and served in Nashville Democrat Mayor Phil Bredesen’s administration “where she was instrumental in bringing the Tennessee Titans NFL team to Tennessee.”
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow Aaron on GETTR, Twitter, Truth Social, and Parler.
Photo “Beth Winstead” by McMahan Winstead & Richardson. Background Photo “Nashville Skyline” by Bill Penn. CC BY 2.5.
Thank you TNStar for reporting this and similar candidate articles.
First the carpetbaggers and now “closet” leftists.
Andy Ogles is the real conservative! If you liked Little Bob Corker you will Love RINO Winstead!
My vote is for Andy Ogles!!!
You got that almost right Trevor. I would edit your remarks by saying “if you liked [electing] Little Bob Corker [with 48% of the vote while conservatives Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary split 51% in 2006] you will Love [watching Andy Ogles and Beth Harwell split the conservative vote in 2022 so as to elect] RINO Winstead.” Last time I voted Van Hilleary. . .this time I’m for Harwell.
Come on Harwell is not the conservative choice.
Definitely voting for Andy Ogles for the 5th congressional District! He fought to keep his county open during the pandemic, stands behind the national guard not being forced to be vaccinated, and a champion to protect our liberties.
Can’t get behind Harwell who supported the Gas tax, when the State had a $200M surplus, and was instrumental in allowing illegal aliens to get drivers license in the State of Tennessee.
Ogles for Faith, Family, and Freedom!
Freedom, in your list of Andy Ogles a characteristics you forgot to add “entered the race reluctantly because he was reluctant to go to Washington and leave his family obligations and has run an anemic campaign so with nine days to go before early voting no one who isn’t a political activist or a resident of Maury County knows he’s alive.” He does have one potential though, with enough voters like yourself he can’t win but he can deprive Beth Harwell of just enough conservative votes so it will be Congressman General Weathervane (TN-5th) come January.
We’re in trouble if this guy is elected.
I don’t know about “trouble” Mary but we will have missed yet another opportunity to convert the Republican Party from being nothing more than shills for the Chamber of Commerce/Business Round Table to a party as consistently conservative as the Democratic Party is consistently leftist. In this no-runoff state that is exactly what will happen, however, unless conservatives unite behind Beth Harwell.
his wife is a dem lobbyist?
god help us all
Ogles 2022
Thanks TS for this story! No way the Gen, no matter how many commercials he makes attacking our demented president, should be given our trust. Very few couples are that divergent in their beliefs!
General Weathervane’s Democratic history and his Democratic wife who is already playing such a large role is his political life make him so supremely unattractive to conservatives as a U. S. REPUBLICAN congressman. No way he loses, however, unless conservatives get behind the only conservative candidate who has the name recognition to beat the ole General – Beth Harwell (ACU-86%).