Tag: Rep. Dave Wright

Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office Provides Partial Clarification on Applicability of Law to Carpetbaggers Morgan Ortagus and Robby Starbuck, but Leaves Out Key State Code

Aaron Gulbransen

The Tennessee Secretary of State’s office provided partial clarification on the applicability of the newly enacted three-year residency law to carpetbaggers Morgan Ortagus and Robby Starbuck, but left out a reference to a key part of state code.

The Tennessee Star previously reported that mere hours after the enactment of the new three-year residency law for federal candidates in primaries, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office offered conflicting comments about whether he intends to enforce the new law and remove “carpetbagger” candidates from the August 4 Republican primary ballot.

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TN Secretary of State Offers Conflicting Comments on Whether He Will Enforce Residency Law and Remove Carpetbaggers from the TN-5 Ballot

Aaron Gulbransen

Within hours of the enactment of a new law on Wednesday that requires candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives in Tennessee to be residents of the state for three years prior to their placement on a primary ballot, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office offered conflicting comments about whether he intends to enforce the new law and remove “carpetbagger” candidates from the August 4 Republican primary ballot.

Reaction from Tennessee state legislators to the comments from the Secretary of State’s office  were swift and pointed.

Sources tell The Tennessee Star that if the Tennessee Secretary of State refuses to enforce the newly enacted law and remove any candidate from the ballot for the U.S. House who fails to meet the three-year residency requirement he will be sued to require him to enforce the law.

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Bill Requiring Three Year Residency in Tennessee for Candidates in Federal Primaries Has Become State Law Without Governor Lee’s Signature

Aaron Gulbransen

The three-year residency requirement legislation for Tennessee candidates for federal office in primaries is now law – effective immediately – without Governor Lee’s signature.

The Tennessee General Assembly sent the legislation, which it overwhelmingly approved, over to Governor Lee’s office on April 1. Governor Lee had the option to sign the legislation into law, veto it, or allow ten days to pass where it would be enacted into law without his signature. Lee chose the third option.

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Dark Money Carpetbagger PAC Spends $100,000 on Radio Supporting Morgan Ortagus in TN-5

Aaron Gulbransen

A new dark money super PAC spent $100,000 in radio ads on Wednesday in support of carpetbagger Morgan Ortagus in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional district seat, according to Federal Election Commission records released on Friday.

The PAC’s name is Tennessee Conservatives PAC and the expenditure was made on April 6. Saturation-level radio ads – at least 20 spots per day – began running on Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC in Nashville and 99.7 WTN in Nashville beginning on Wednesday.

The PAC, which was organized on February 22, 2022 according to FEC records, has yet to release its funding sources. The group’s report for the period ending March 31 will not be made filed with the FEC until April 15. It is common practice for dark money PACs to hide their sources of funding until the latest possible date.

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Report: New Dark Money Group with Possible Connections to Morgan Ortagus Targeting Tennessee Residency Legislation

Aaron Gulbransen

Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News and MSNBC is reporting that a well-funded new super PAC named Tennessee Conservative PAC says they intend to file a lawsuit challenging the General Assembly-passed three-year residency requirement legislation for candidates in federal primaries.

The legislation has yet to be transmitted to Governor Lee for his signature.

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General Assembly Three-Year Residency Requirement Legislation for Federal Candidates in Primaries on March 28 House Message Calendar

Aaron Gulbransen
Tennessee Senate Chamber

Tennessee legislation establishing three-year residency requirements for candidates in federal primaries is on the House message calendar for floor consideration on Monday, March 28.

According to Tennessee state House staff, the House message calendar is for bills that went over to the Senate, were non-concurred, and came back.

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Senate Noncurs with House on Residency Bill for Primary Eligibility

Aaron Gulbransen

The Tennessee Senate has non-concurred, essentially rejecting the House-passed version of the three-year residency requirement bill for federal candidates in primary.

The bill now goes back to the House, where they have the option to conform to the Senate version, or else the legislation goes to conference committee. The state House is expected to consider the legislation again this week.

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Tennessee House Overwhelmingly Approves Legislation Creating Three-Year Residency Requirement for Federal Candidates in Primaries

Aaron Gulbransen
Tennessee Capitol building

The Tennessee House has approved legislation creating a three-year residency requirement for federal candidates in primaries. The final vote was 86 to 0 to approve HB2764, as 6 members voted “present” on the legislation.

The companion bill, SB2616, had already passed the Tennessee Senate. The bills were originally markedly different in terms of the effective date, but that conflict was resolved.

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Legislation Establishing Residency Requirements for Federal Candidates Scheduled for House Floor Vote

Aaron Gulbransen
Dave Wright

Tennessee House legislation establishing residency requirements for federal candidates is scheduled for a floor vote on Monday, March 14.

The companion bill, SB2616, has already passed the Tennessee Senate and is sitting on the House desk. The bills are currently markedly different in terms of effective date, but that conflict is expected to change when HB2764 comes to the floor.

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House Sponsor of Legislation Establishing Tennessee Federal Candidate Residency Requirements Says He’ll Conform His Bill to Senate-Passed Version

Aaron Gulbransen

State Rep. David Wright, the House sponsor of the bill that establishes residency requirements for federal candidates, told The Tennessee Star that he plans to make the language in his version match Senator Frank Niceley’s Senate-passed version.

“All I’m trying to do is to get a bill to the floor in the House so I can motion to substitute and conform to the Senate version.” said Wright. “I would hope that I can get this to Calendar and Rules on Thursday morning for it to be on the floor next week.”

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State Senator Frank Niceley Expects Senate-Passed Legislation Establishing Residency Requirements for Federal Candidates in Primaries to Pass in the House

Aaron Gulbransen

Senator Frank Niceley expects his version of the bill establishing residency requirements for candidates in Tennessee primaries, which was approved by the Senate 31-1, to carry the day in the state House.

Senator Niceley told The Tennessee Star, “I expect when the House legislation reaches the floor, they’ll vote to substitute and conform to the Senate bill. That way it’ll be quick and painless. If its a good bill, its a good bill now.”

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Bill Establishing Residency Requirements for Federal Candidates Passes Key Tennessee House Subcommittee

Aaron Gulbransen

State Representative Dave Wright’s (R-Knoxville) version of the bill establishing three-year residency requirements for federal candidates was passed by a key subcommittee.

Before HB2764, the House version of Senator Frank Niceley’s legislation, was recommended for passage by the House Elections and Campaign Finance Subcommittee, it was amended on Wednesday. The amended version is significantly different than the Senate-passed version as it applies to all federal candidates in primaries and general elections, sets an effective date to one day after this year’s elections, and exempts candidates elected this year from that standard for future elections. The House version is now in conflict with the Senate-passed version.

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House Sponsor of Residency Requirement Legislation Affecting Federal Campaigns Punts Subcommittee Consideration Back a Week

Aaron Gulbransen

Representative Dave Wright, the Tennessee House sponsor of legislation that would establish three-year residency requirements for Congressional and Senate candidates running in Tennessee, motioned to roll his bill back for consideration by one week in the House Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee.

Wright said that he intends to amend the bill to have the three-year residency requirements, an effective date of one day after this year’s November general election, and an exemption for incumbents at the next scheduled subcommittee meeting.

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