Tag: The Best of Tennessee

Rep. Andy Ogles Won 13-Point Primary Victory Despite Opponent’s Ties to Never Trump Political Machine, Including Consultant Blake Harris

Tom Pappert
Blake Harris and Courtney Johnston

The Never Trump political effort to unseat Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) in the Tennessee Republican primary earlier this month failed. The incumbent ultimately trounced Metro Council Member Courtney Johnston with a 13-point victory.

Ogles sailed to victory despite Johnston boasting better campaign funding, the support of Never Trump political consultant and former Governor Bill Lee administration member Blake Harris, the benefit of anti-Trump political organization Conservatives with Character, and her campaign being treasured by seasoned fundraiser Kim Kaegi.

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Never Trumpers Lose Big in Tennessee GOP Primary

Tom Pappert
Andy Ogles and Courtney Johnston

The Never Trump donors who assembled to oppose Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) in the Thursday Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional district were trounced by the incumbent, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump more than one year prior to the election.

Ogles’ victory came despite the incumbent being out raised by his opponent, Metro Councilwoman Courtney Johnston, who also benefited from more than $600,000 in advertising from the Conservatives with Character super PAC, whose treasurer told The Tennessee Star its primary purpose was to see the Trump-endorsed incumbent defeated.

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Super PAC Behind Controversial Pro-Johnston Mailers Purchases $256,000 Ad Buy Ahead of TN-5 Primary

Tom Pappert
Andy Ogles and Courtney Johnston

The Conservatives with Character super PAC supporting Metro Councilwoman Courtney Johnston in her campaign to unseat Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) in the Republican primary on August 1 on Wednesday spent more than $256,000 in advertisement in the final days before the election.

A reported filed with the Federal Election Commission by Conservatives with Character treasurer Randy Stamps confirmed the organization spent $200,000 with the New Mexico-based Ad Placement Results LLC, an additional $30,000 to the Nashville-based VOR Media advertising firm, and $26,820 with HTTV Direct LLC, a Virginia-based political mailing firm.

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Tennessee State Employee Jim Tracy Backs Left Wing PAC That Supports Courtney Johnston in TN-5 Primary Against Rep. Andy Ogles

Tom Pappert
Jim Tracy

Jim Tracy, who is employed as a senior advisor to the Department of Commerce and Insurance, is a board member of the political organization that recently sent $140,000 to a super PAC attacking Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) and supporting Metro Councilwoman Courtney Johnston in the Republican primary in the 5th Congressional District scheduled for August 1.

Tracy was named as a board member of The Best of Tennessee in a June 6 article by Tennessee Lookout, which reported he was then, “a Senior Advisor to the Department of Commerce and Insurance.”

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Never Trumper Tom Ingram Helped Start Group That Sent $140,000 to Super PAC Behind Pro-Johnston, Anti-Ogles Ads

Tom Pappert
Tom Ingram

Never Trumper political consultant and lobbyist Tom Ingram is one of the founders of The Best of Tennessee, which last month sent $140,000 to the Conservatives with Character super PAC that recently began a $140,000 ad campaign supporting Metro Councilwoman Courtney Johnston in her effort to unseat Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) in the Tennessee Republican primary on August 1.

Ingram was listed as one of three founders of The Best of Tennessee in April by Tennessee Lookout, which reported the group’s founders also include pro-abortion attorney Chloe Akers and seasoned political fundraiser Kim Kaegi, who is also the treasurer for the Johnston campaign.

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Treasurer for Super PAC Behind Mailers Featuring Johnston, Trump Warns Former President Could ‘Dominate’ GOP with Help of Rep. Ogles

Tom Pappert
Randy Stamps and Courtney Johnston

Randy Stamps, who is the treasurer for the Conservatives with Character super PAC which sent mailers juxtaposing images of Metro Councilwoman Courtney Johnston and former President Donald Trump, told The Tennessee Star on Tuesday he is among the Republicans who do not want the former president to “dominate” the Republican Party.

Stamps also confirmed Conservatives with Character sent the mailers as part of the $140,000 advertising campaign reported last month, and said it is part of the same advertising campaign that followed a $140,000 cash injection from The Best of Tennessee, whose co-founder is Kim Kaegi, a seasoned political fundraiser who also serves as Johnston’s campaign treasurer.

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Group Tied to Courtney Johnston Campaign Sent $140,000 to Super PAC Behind Ads Targeting Rep. Andy Ogles

Tom Pappert
TN5 Candidate Courtney Johnson

The Tennessee super PAC supporting the challenge by Metro Councilwoman Courtney Johnson to unseat Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-07) in the Republican primary contest for the state’s  7th Congressional district recently received $140,000 from a group connected to Johnston’s campaign.

Federal Election Commission (FEC) records confirm the group Conservatives with Character received $140,000 on June 7, 2024 from The Best of Tennessee Action Fund, one of the strategically interlinked organizations co-founded by pro-abortion attorney Chloe Akers and political fundraiser Kim Kaegi in April.

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Founder of Tennessee Anti-MAGA PAC Raised Nearly $440,000 at Last Political Organization, Then Folded

Tom Pappert
Chloe Akers

Chloe Akers, who founded The Best of Tennessee with seasoned political fundraiser Kim Kaegi, previously raised nearly $440,000 for a political action committee that sought to elevate moderate voices in support of abortion and gun control.

Prior to founding The Best of Tennessee, Akers was the creator of The Liminal Plan, a political action committee where she reportedly raised $439,461, according to Tennessee Lookout.

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Treasurer of Tennessee Anti-MAGA Super PAC Donated to Democrat Opponent of Sen. Marsha Blackburn

Tom Pappert
James Seabury Joanne Sowell

The treasurer for The Best of Tennessee Action Fund, the super PAC wing of the “moderate” political group founded by fundraiser Kim Kaegi and Democratic pro-abortion lawyer Chloe Akers, donated to to the former Democratic political opponent of Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) last year.

Treasurer James C. Seabury III donated $1,000 to the political campaign of Joanne Sowell, a Nashville-based attorney who announced an exploratory committee to consider seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for U.S. Senate to challenge Blackburn last year, according to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).

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Metro Nashville Councilwoman Courtney Johnston Announces Primary Challenge to MAGA Rep. Andy Ogles in TN-5

Tom Pappert
Courtney Johnston Congressman Andy Ogles

Metro Nashville Councilwoman Courtney Johnston on Friday officially announced her primary challenge to Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05).

In a statement emailed to Tennessee media, Johnston declared, “I’m running for Congress because I believe in public service and in just a few short years on the Metro Council, I’ve been able to deliver real results.”

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Treasurer of Tennessee Dark Money Super PAC Founded by Pro-Abortion Democrat Is Never Trumper Who Donated to Nikki Haley Presidential Campaign

Tom Pappert
James Seabury

The treasurer for The Best of Tennessee Action Fund, part of the “Lincoln Project of Tennessee” announced on Wednesday, recently made two $1,000 donations to the presidential campaign of Nikki Haley, the former Ambassador to the United Nations who reportedly courted Democrats in her ill-fated primary campaign against former President Donald Trump.

Federal Elections Commission (FEC) records indicate James Seabury III is the treasurer for The Best of Tennessee’s super PAC, which it calls the Action Fund.

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Democrat Pro-Abortion Lawyer and Fundraiser Kim Kaegi Form ‘Lincoln Project of Tennessee’ Style Super PAC Ahead of ‘Moderate’ Courtney Johnston’s GOP Primary Challenge to MAGA Rep. Andy Ogles in TN-5

Tom Pappert
Courtney Johnston, Chloe Akers

A pro-abortion lawyer based in Knoxville has joined forces with Tennessee political fundraiser Kim Kaegi to form three strategically intertwined organizations – a 501 (c) (4) nonprofit, a political action committee (PAC), and a super PAC, a Wednesday report reveals.

The PACs and nonprofit will be called The Best of Tennessee, and the political wing of the operation will focus on “pro-choice” messaging to elect moderate candidates, according to The Tennessean.

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