Former Trump administration State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus made a dubious claim about why President Trump endorsed her in a national publication.
Ortagus recently sat down with the Jewish News Syndicate, headquartered in Massachusetts, to discuss her candidacy for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional district seat.
Ortagus was asked where she fits into the Republican political landscape in Tennessee. She responded by saying that there are a lot of strong conservatives in Middle Tennessee and TN-5, and that President Trump took a look at the field and thought she was the strongest “America First” candidate.
We have so many great people in Middle Tennessee and Tennessee’s 5th district. Really strong pro-life conservatives, people who really stand strong with President Trump, and I think that’s why Trump endorsed me. Because he looked at the field and thought that I would be the strongest person to carry the “America First” agenda forward in Congress in to hold President [Joe] Biden and [Speaker of the House] Nancy Pelosi accountable.
As of this writing, there is no evidence that President Trump has examined the existing or potential field in the GOP primary for TN-5, except to say on Newsmax that he didn’t know Robby Starbuck and that he heard he voted for Obama.
CNN reported in June of 2021, that Ivanka Trump is close friends with Morgan Ortagus, and that she and her husband Jared Kushner paid a visit to Ortagus in Nashville. It would not be unheard of for Ivanka and Kushner to weigh in on President Trump’s endorsements, perhaps focusing solely on friendship and cavalierly not giving much thought to how Middle Tennesseans would react to an endorsement of a newcomer to the region in this situation, if either or both did indeed weigh in.
Elsewhere in the interview Ortagus cited her membership in Sherith Israel, an Orthodox Jewish temple located in Nashville, moving to Tennessee because she wants a better life for her child, and her foreign policy experience as reasons she can handle local issues and best represent Tennessee’s 5th district in the U.S. House of Representatives but she declined in her comments to address how she specifically plans to connect to Middle Tennessee, having moved there only months ago and also did not address what specifically makes her the strongest “America First” candidate for TN-5.
The Tennessee Star previously reported Ortagus’ busy first week as a candidate, having made national media appearances on Fox and Friends, Spicer & Co., Hugh Hewitt’s radio show, and Townhall.com contributor Gabriella Hoffman’s podcast.
In addition to President Trump, Ortagus has been endorsed by U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw, who recently came under fire for his harsh words about the House Freedom Caucus. Her one known local endorsement is from former TN-5 candidate Quincy McKnight, who dropped out of the GOP primary and is now running for mayor of Metro Nashville.
President Trump previously endorsed Governor Lee for re-election, despite, as previously reported by The Star, his betrayal of MAGA principles by continuing the resettlement of refugees to Tennessee in 2019.
Ortagus does not currently live in the 5th Congressional District as the new lines have her current address in the 7th Congressional District. Her address was previously in the old TN-5, prior to redistricting. Ortagus only registered to vote in Tennessee in late November of 2021. A Florida native, Ortagus lived in New York and Washington, D.C. prior to moving to Tennessee. The Star has reached out to the Ortagus campaign for comment on her voting and residency history, but all requests thus far have been ignored.
Ortagus is not the only newcomer to Tennessee in the TN-5 GOP primary. California native Robby Starbuck registered to vote in Tennessee in 2019 and has claimed that he was not a full-time resident until after the August 2020 Tennessee Republican primary.
Other contenders in the GOP primary are former Brig. Gen. Kurt Winstead, businessman Baxter Lee, and Natisha Brooks. Former Williamson County GOP chair Omar Hamada is collecting petitions and is weighing whether to officially get in the race. Geni Bachelor and Annabelle Lee are also reported to be collecting petitions.
Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles and former Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell are considering entry into the race as well. Ogles has a reputation in Tennessee for being a conservative fighter who refused to institute mask mandates in Maury County. Beth Harwell was the first woman Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives and twice received the National Federation of Independent Business’ Guardian of Small Business Award during her tenure in the State House.
Mayor Ogles is a Tennessee native who has lived in the state all of his life. Both Winstead and Harwell have been Tennessee residents for more than three decades. Baxter Lee is also a Tennessee native, having grown up in Knoxville. His website says that he is an “8th generation Tennessean”.
The new 5th Congressional District contains parts of Davidson, parts of Wilson, parts of Williamson, all of Marshall, Maury, and Lewis counties.
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
I have seen her all over the TV but not yet heard her holding Meet and Greets, etc in the very District she wants to represent! She seems to think she can parachute in and take the Seat because PDT endorsed her–WRONG
We do NOT look kindly upon Carpetbaggers with that kind of attitude.
The very fact she is close friends with Jarvanka AND was married by RBG tells me all I need to know about her. She is NOT American 1st, she is another phony RINO. Her endorsement by Crenshaw the phony should be the end of her candidacy.
I’m baffled trying to figure out why Jared and Ivanka would so strongly support Ortagus. Just totally confused. What in the world could be THE issue that binds these MAGA Republicans? So confusing for this boomer. I’m going to have to read the interview she did. What was the name of the publication again?
Jared and Ivanka are liberals. ‘Nuff said.
You think the common thread is they are “liberals”. I don’t know, I just feel like there may be another reason? I’m befuddled.
“In addition to President Trump, Ortagus has been endorsed by U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw, who recently came under fire for his harsh words about the House Freedom Caucus.”
That endorsement is VERY concerning as the new 5th contains voters who previously were represented by Dr. Green and Dr. DesJarlais – BOTH of whom are Freedom Caucus members!
Where does Ms. Ortagus stand regarding the Freedom Caucus? Will she become a member of the Freedom Caucus if elected?
I sincerly hope a shift in the coverage of this race and the GOP Primary candidates is coming soon. An article on why President Trump endorsed her? Pure speculation and who knows why? If contrary info, make an article. If merely musing, skip it and focus on the issues! Ivanka’s influence is expected but is it worth an article devoid of where the any candidate stances on the issues?
Example: Is Morgan Ortagus as conservative, similar in positions to the Freedom Caucus and the Representatives many voters in the 5th have had previously? Will she support McCarthy & McConnell or the RNC and her voting base? Does she support the Wilson Doctrine of the US policing the world and “making the world safe for democracy”?
I realize that focusing on people’s legal names & length of time in TN have been the main focus of this race (along with hairstyles, as if that matters) but none of those things tell us how they will vote in Congress on the issues we now face and give us insight into how they will vote on issues that will arise in the next 2 yrs.
I am hoping we can begin to shift to substantial questions of what each candidate is promising to do if elected, their political positions, specifically how they plan to represent Tennessee views on national issues in DC and their positions political issues ranging from current events such as gov. mandates, vaccine mandates, the truckers civil disobedience peaceful protest, Biden’s intention on intevention in European political wars with or without NATO (!), etc. Is she similar to a neocon hawk on foreign policy or will she seek to avoid foreign wars & use economic policy to heavily influence foreign peace as did President Trump?
She needs to go back to telling lies at the State Department. She fits in there perfectly.
Like Liz Cheney, she’s spending more time outside of TN trying to convince people outside of TN that she is the best thing for TN. Ms Ortagus will do the same as Nancy Mace of SC.
Sorry Ms Ortagus, we’re stuck with Marsha Marsha for now. We don’t need another mouthpiece.
Come on now, how the h*// would she know the political make-up of the newly formed 5th District in Middle Tennessee? The District is a few months old, and she’s lived here for what, all of about 6 months!
I haven’t seen her working to improve Tennessee by holding any State elected official’s feet to the fire! I haven’t seen her at any of the rallies to force a “special session” to end the mask mandates, the lockdowns or the countless other intrusions. I never saw her involved in any of the events aimed at tossing the tyrant Mayor Cooper.
But you watch, now she’ll be “everywhere” snapping photos, shaking hands and kissing babies. We don’t need no stinking spokesperson. We already got too many talking heads!
Ogles for Congress!
👏👏👏👏👏👍