Sources told The Tennessee Star that Tennessee Republican National Committeeman Oscar Brock is helping Geoffrey Stokes Nielson in his campaign to challenge incumbent Republican Congressman Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) in the 2024 GOP primary election.
Ogles has served as the U.S. Representative for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District since 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party. Before his election to Congress, he served as the mayor of Maury County, Tennessee, from 2018 until 2022.
According to the Federal Election Commission, Stokes Nielson announced his candidacy to challenge Ogles in the 2024 GOP primary election on July 11.
Brock (pictured above) is the Republican National Committeeman for the state of Tennessee and a member of the Tennessee Republican Party. He was a candidate for the District 6 seat on the Hamilton County Board of Education in 2014. He lost the election to Joe Galloway.
As a Republican National Committeeman for Tennessee, Brock is responsible for representing the state party at the national level and the Republican National Committee in local and state party subdivisions.
According to the Tennessee Republican Party Bylaws Article II Section 4 A, “Neither the SEC (State Executive Committee) as a body, nor the Officers, nor the TRP’s (Tennessee Republican Party) paid staff members, nor a County Republican Party or CEC (County Executive Committee) as a body, nor County Republican Party Chairmen shall endorse a Republican candidate in a contested primary election.”
Sources said Brock recently attended a Marshall County Republican Party event and introduced Stokes Nielson to those in attendance.
Brock’s alleged support of Stokes Nielson’s campaign would be prohibited under the GOP bylaws as an officer for the Tennessee Republican Party as it’s a contested primary election.
The Star contacted Brock for confirmation if he is helping Stokes Nielson in his campaign. The Star also requested confirmation if Brock recently attended the Marshall County Republican Party event and introduced Stokes Nielson to attendees. As well as if it is appropriate for him in his capacity as the National Committeeman for the Tennessee Republican Party to assist a challenger to an incumbent Tennessee member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Star did not receive a reply from Brock before press time.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, The Arizona Sun Times and The Tennessee Star. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Oscar Brock” by Oscar Brock.
