Tennessee Republican Party Executive Committee Member Oscar Brock, who is also one of the three National Committeemen who vote on behalf of Tennessee at the Republican National Committee (RNC), has stated he will withhold all future support to Republican incumbents in Tennessee over the government shutdown.
Brock announced his decision in an October 28 post to social media, where he noted that the federal government shutdown was then in its fourth week, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was about to run out of funding.
“The House passed a Continuing Resolution to keep the Government open until they could pass a budget, but the Senate couldn’t pass it,” wrote Brock. “However, instead of working to pass the budget, the House just went home. No negotiating and no compromising and no budget. And there’s no end in sight.”
He wrote, “I’m not being partisan. I’m simply sick and tired of Congress being unable or unwilling to do the job we elected them to do.”
Brock did not offer analysis about the number of requests made by Democrats in order to open the government, but instead said he would be withholding his support to all incumbents.
“I’m going to make a donation to our local food bank. And I’m not going to support ANY member of Congress who runs for reelection next year.”
Brock’s statement comes despite the Tennessee Republican Party bylaws clearly stating that the party exists to see Republican candidates elected, and particularly incumbents, as the party is forbidden from offering endorsements in primary challenges to a candidate seeking reelection.
The Tennessee Star contacted Brock to confirm that he will withhold his support for the incumbents, even as six Republican members of Tennessee’s delegation to the U.S. House, and Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), seek reelection in 2026, but Brock did not dispute this part of his statement, or whether his statement may violate the spirit of the party’s bylaws.
The Star also asked Brock to comment on the current state of negotiations to reopen the government, noting that the White House in September said the Democrats were seeking funding to provide free healthcare for illegal immigrants. Brock disputed this claim.
“It is a frequently debunked theory that the shutdown is leverage to provide free healthcare for undocumented immigrants. If you’re not here legally, you don’t have access to free government provided healthcare, except at a hospital emergency room, most of which are not allowed to deny service to any person,” Brock told The Star.
Brock did not acknowledge the studies which show that between 17 and 39 percent of illegal immigrants lack access to healthcare other than emergency rooms, the state records showing nearly 500,000 undocumented immigrants received Emergency Medicaid assistance in New York, or the $27.5 million in federally funded Emergency Medicaid assistance offered to illegal immigrants in Connecticut that was reported just last month.
Instead, Brock told The Star that his “frustration” stemmed from Republicans in Congress, who he said were neglecting to do, “what any good conservative would do,” which is negotiate “in good faith to pass a budget” with Democrats.
Brock also told The Star the shutdown was “bad politics,” particularly pointing to the consequences for American airports, and called the lack of funding for SNAP benefits “cruel,” before suggesting at the recent electoral losses for Republicans in Virginia, New Jersey, and elsewhere, were due to the “bad politics.”
“Republican members of Congress should understand this,” said Brock. “For reference, look at election results this week in Virginia, Georgia, New Jersey and elsewhere.”
Michael Patrick Leahy, the Editor-in-Chief of The Star, said that Brock should resign over his comments.
“Mr. Brock, as a member of the executive committee of the Tennessee Republican Party and as the Tennessee Representative to the Republican National Committee, has a duty to support Republican nominees for office in the State of Tennessee,” said Leahy. “His statement that he will not support any members of Congress in a state that has six incumbent Republican Congressmen running for reelection, and one Republican U.S. Senator running for reelection, is a clear violation of his duties as a member of the Executive Committee and as Tennessee’s representative to the RNC.”
Leahy stated, “Mr. Brock needs to either retract his statement, or resign from the executive committee of the Tennessee Republican Party.”
Brock’s history of activism, despite his position on the Tennessee Republican Party Executive Committee, reportedly dates back to at least 2023, when sources told The Star that he was helping a a Republican challenge U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) in violation of the party bylaws.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Brock needs to go. His angst should be targeted at the offending Senate Democrats who are using the shutdown to leverage (their words not mine) the agenda. The Democrats are degusting at best. Brock needs to change parties it seems.
How did this activist get such an important position within the Tennessee GOP?!!