Several Tennessee groups have filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s congressional and state redistricting maps that went into effect in 2022.
The complaint states the maps are unconstitutional racial gerrymanders that violate the 14th and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution by intentionally diluting the votes of Black voters and voters of other colors by dividing Nashville and Davidson County into three congressional districts.
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At a small pro-abortion rally held on Wednesday at Legislative Plaza in downtown Nashville, TN-5 Democrat nominee State Senator Heidi Campbell (R-Nashville) emphasized her support for abortion in a speech she gave.
Campbell gave the speech on the eve of when Tennessee’s anti-abortion law The Human Life Protection Act, which was triggered due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, goes into effect.
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Political consultant Ward Baker of Baker Group Strategies issued a memo calling Tennessee 5th Congressional District Democrat nominee Heidi Campbell’s internal poll “bogus.”
Campbell’s campaign released on Monday what it called internal poll results that showed the Democrat TN-5 candidate with a 3 percent lead over Republican nominee Andy Ogles.
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TN-5 Republican nominee Andy Ogles on Thursday criticized the Inflation Reduction Act.
According to the Thursday statement obtained by The Tennessee Star, Ogles expressed “strong opposition to the so-called ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ rammed through by Democrats in the Senate over the weekend without a single Republican Vote.”
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Republican nominee for the 5th Congressional District and Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles critcized the “Department of Justice weaponization of the FBI to advance a partisan political agenda solely aimed to ‘get Trump'” in a campaign press statement issued on Tuesday that decried the FBI raid on the former president’s Florida home.
Ogles emerged from the nine candidate field in the August 4 Republican primary and will face Democrat nominee, State Senator Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) in the November general election.
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Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles easily won the Republican primary in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District on Thursday.
The Associated Press called the race for Ogles at 10:30 pm central time. His two leading opponents, Beth Harwell, former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, and retired Tennessee National Guard Brigadier General Kurt Winstead, conceded the race to Ogles shortly after 10 pm.
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Former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell announced on Monday that the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) endorsed her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives.
James Smallwood, the President of the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police, said in a statement provided to The Tennessee Star, “As speaker, Beth Harwell always prioritized public safety in Tennessee and was attentive to the needs of law enforcement professionals as we worked to promote safer and stronger communities across the State. Now, more than ever, we need that same attention in Washington D.C. The members of the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police are proud to support Beth Harwell for Congress because we know she’s the right person for the job!”
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Attorney and Tennessee 5th Congressional candidate Kurt Winstead sits as a commissioner on the Tennessee Arts Commission, distributing millions of dollars in grants to various groups, including Marxist political groups and one that a Black Lives Matter activist chairs.
The Tennessee Arts Commission, according to a spreadsheet provided to The Tennessee Star, has distributed $35,866,258.95 in grants during the fiscal year 2022.
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Tennessee 5th Congressional candidate Beth Harwell called out “Washington D.C. groups trying to buy Tennessee’s 5th District” and said “the D.C. Swamp will control Andy Ogles.”
“Tennessee’s 5th District has become the newest playground for Washington D.C. insider groups looking to handpick the next representative. They can’t vote in this district, I bet most have never even been to Tennessee, but they’ve spent millions misleading voters and propping up Andy Ogles,” the former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives said in a press statement.
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In a Wednesday interview with SuperTalk 99.7 WTN host Michael DelGiorno, TN-5 candidate Andy Ogles misled the public again on the subject of his late-filed July quarterly campaign finance report and declined to address the reason why he late-filed.
Ogles filed his first campaign finance report for the Federal Election Commission (FEC) April 1 through June 30 reporting period on Saturday, July 23, eight days after the July 15 deadline.
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In a statement made on Tuesday and obtained by The Tennessee Star, Tennessee 5th Congressional District candidate and former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell took the Biden administration to task over it’s rhetoric on a possible economic recession and “their disastrous policies.”
“The Biden Administration wants to change the definition for ‘recession’ because they’re trying to cover up their disastrous policies that have put the American economy in this position. The American people are smart enough to see what they’re doing,” said Harwell.
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Several out-of-state groups, including the Club for Growth, are spending well over a million dollars to boost Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles’ bid for the Republican nomination for TN-5 and to attack his opponents Beth Harwell and Kurt Winstead.
Club for Growth famously spent $1,000,000 against then-candidate Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
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Federal Election Commission (FEC) records show several instances of financial reporting irregularities, including a fine, stemming from Andy Ogles’ 2002 campaign for the U.S. House in what was then the 4th District.
On June 30, 2003, Ogles was assessed an administrative fine in the amount of $2,700.00 for failure to file the 2002 year end report. He paid the fine in full.
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The Federal Election Commission (FEC) pre-primary reports were due on July 23 and three candidates, which include retired National Guard General Kurt Winstead, former speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell, and Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles, continue to show a massive financial lead over the rest of the nine candidate field in the August 4 Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat.
Eight of the nine candidates filed the required report by July 23, which covered the reporting period dates of July 1 through July 15.
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Tennessee 5th Congressional District candidate Andy Ogles filed his first campaign finance report for the Federal Election Commission (FEC) April 1 through June 30 reporting period on Saturday, eight days after the July 15 deadline. Ogles is one of nine candidates listed on the August 4 primary ballot who are seeking the Republican nomination in Tennessee’s Fifth Congressional district.
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Kurt Winstead’s campaign announced Friday that retired NASCAR driver Sterling Marlin endorsed Winstead in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat.
“General Winstead and I are both farm boys with strong conservative Republican values. I’ve spent time with him on several occasions, and I have no doubt that he will fight tooth and nail to defeat the Biden-Pelosi agenda in Washington. I am proud to offer my full support and endorsement to General Winstead as the next Congressman of Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, said Marlin in a statement.
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State Senate aide and TN-5 candidate in the August 4 Republican primary Tres Wittum slammed his opponent Andy Ogles for the job he’s done as Maury County mayor and for “his lack of transparency” in failing to disclose his campaign finances.
“I’ve heard the quote believe people when they tell you who they are. Andy Ogles has not done his job as mayor, Andy Ogles makes outrageous claims that probably are not backed up, and lastly his lack of transparency isn’t surprising with his FEC report,” said Wittum.
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Seven days after the filing deadline, TN-5 candidate Andy Ogles has still failed to file a campaign finance report as of close of Federal Election Commission (FEC) business on Thursday.
The FEC second quarter filing deadline for the reporting period covering April 1 through June 30 was July 15.
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Tennessee 5th Congressional District candidate Andy Ogles filed suit on Tuesday in the Circuit Court for Williamson County, Tennessee, at Franklin against the Tennessee Conservatives PAC, a super PAC connected to Kurt Winstead’s campaign for the TN-5 seat that recently started attack ads against him.
According to a statement made by the Ogles campaign, “[T]he suit calls on the PAC to take down an ad that falsely accuses Ogles of not paying property taxes, highlighting false accusations the PAC ran on television in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District in an attempt to maliciously defame Ogles and harm his congressional campaign.”
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Six days have passed since the July 15 FEC finance report deadline for the reporting period covering April 1 through June 30, and Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles is now the only Tennessee Fifth Congressional District candidate who has not filed the required paperwork.
Paramedic Timothy Lee filed his campaign finance documents on Wednesday, making Ogles the only candidate in the nine-candidate field who has failed to file.
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Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles skipped the Maury County Commission meeting on Monday evening where a vote was held to override his veto of the county budget.
Ogles’ veto was reportedly overridden by a vote of 17 in favor of the override, with two against, and three abstaining.
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Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles’ campaign for the Republican nomination in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat has yet to file the Federal Election Commission (FEC) second quarter campaign finance report, as of press time.
The deadline to file the report was on July 15. The FEC second-quarter reporting period covers April 1 through June 30.
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The July 15 deadline for federal candidates to file their Federal Election Commission (FEC) second-quarter campaign finance reports has passed, and six of the nine candidates for the Republican nomination for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat have reports that are available for public viewing.
The FEC second-quarter reporting period covers April 1 through June 30.
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TN-5 candidate and combat veteran Jeff Beierlein criticized retired National Guard Brigadier General Kurt Winstead for agreeing to and later skipping the Epoch Times 5th Congressional District candidates debate held on Tuesday, saying, “this is the first time in Tennessee history, a general’s ran from the fight.”
Prior to Beierlein’s statement, debate moderator, Epoch Times Editor-at-Large Roger Simon, who is also an All-Star Panelist of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy, mentioned that Winstead agreed to the debate, the organizers moved the time of the debate to accommodate him, and then he [Winstead] dropped out.
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The Epoch Times, the Nashville Republican Women, Williamson County Young Republicans, and Davidson County Young Republicans hosted a unique debate on Tuesday evening with TN-5 candidates combat veteran Jeff Beierlein, Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles, and State Senate aide Tres Wittum participating.
Former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell was invited, but never confirmed her appearance. Kurt Winstead, confirmed his appearance but backed out at the last minute, organizers say.
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In an exclusive statement obtained by The Tennessee Star on Sunday, former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell’s campaign in the August 4 Republican primary contest for TN-5 announced her “Back the Blue” plan to support police and law enforcement.
Harwell’s six point plan calls for funding law enforcement officers and making sure they have the resources and training they need to fight crime.
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In an exclusive obtained by The Tennessee Star, former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell says that “Joe Biden is destroying America,” in her latest television ad for the August 4 Republican primary in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat.
The ad begins with a voiceover from a narrator that says, “Chaos at the border, crime in our neighborhoods, runaway inflation – Joe Biden is destroying America.”
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TN-5 candidate and former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell castigated liberal prosecutors and the defund the police movement in comments that she made on the case of Jose Alba where he was charged with second-degree murder that even New York City Democrats said was a clear instance of self defense.
“It seems liberal prosecutors and district attorneys are more focused on cracking down on law abiding citizens than criminals.” Said Beth Harwell.
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TN-5 candidate and retired Brigadier General Kurt Winstead’s past history of donating to Democratic Party candidates and causes in federal races has been well documented, and now, additional Democrat donations in Tennessee state races have been discovered.
A search of the Tennessee Online Campaign Finance website, which contains campaign finance reports dating back to at least 2000, shows that Winstead personally donated on at least seven occasions to Democratic campaigns.
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Kurt Winstead’s campaign in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat says they’ve taken in nearly $580,000 for the the Federal Election Commission’s second quarter fundraising period which ended on June 30.
Winstead is a candidate in the August 4 Republican primary, which is less than a month away.
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In a statement obtained by The Tennessee Star, Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles, a candidate in the Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, called upon Tennessee legislative leaders to immediately issue a call for a special legislative session in order to focus on reinstating any Tennessee National Guard personnel who have been dismissed for declining to accept the COVID vaccines and boosters.
Ogles also called for steps to be taken in order to prevent any future dismissals for the same reasons.
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Multiple sources tell The Tennessee Star that TN-5 candidate Kurt Winstead’s wife Beth Winstead, who many describe as a Democrat lobbyist, advocated in favor of the three-year residency law which mandates that candidates in federal race in Tennessee must be residents of the state for three years in order to qualify to be on a partisan primary ballot.
That residency law passed both the state House and state Senate overwhelming in late March and became law without Governor Lee’s signature. The Tennessee Secretary of State’s office later said that legislation would not take effect for the 2022 elections.
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The Epoch Times, the Nashville Republican Women, Williamson County Young Republicans, and Davidson County Young Republicans are scheduled to host a debate with a unique format on Tuesday July 12 for the Republican primary in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat.
The Tuesday, July 12 debate will take place at the Landmark Auditorium located at 100 7th Ave N. #4 in Nashville, Tennessee. Doors open at 6pm and the debate will begin at 6:45pm.
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Formerly known as Veterans for Trump, the group Veterans For America First endorsed Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat, announced the Ogles campaign in a statement.
The statement notes that, “The organization has already endorsed conservative candidates Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), Rep. Lauren Boebert (CO), Sarah Palin (AK), Herschel Walker (GA), and Kari Lake (AZ), among others.”
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More Tennessee National Guardsmen reached out to The Tennessee Star on Friday in order to rebut the coordinated messaging between TN-5 candidate and former National Guard General Kurt Winstead and Governor Bill Lee on the issue of soldier firings due to a COVID-19 mandate and the role that the governor can play.
The deadline for soldiers to comply with the mandate has now passed.
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SEAL PAC released a statement this week announcing the PAC endorsed Jeff Beierlein in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat.
“Jeff Beierlein is a soldier’s soldier. As a helicopter pilot in Iraq and a graduate of West Point, Jeff has the leadership and experience needed to help lead our nation in these difficult times. I could not be more excited about his candidacy and look forward to serving with him in the United States House,” said Chairman Ryan Zinke, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Secretary of the Interior under former President Donald Trump.
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Radio Host Dave Ramsey endorsed Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat on Monday.
The Ogles campaign issued a statement in response to the endorsement.
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Most of the Republican field in the August 4 primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat has now voiced their support for the National Guard members who are scheduled to be fired on June 30 due to their defiance of a COVID-19 vaccination mandate.
Previously reported, former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell was the first TN-5 candidate to issue a statement in support of the National Guard soldiers, saying:
The Biden Administration’s forced COVID-19 vaccination policy for men and women in the military is absolutely wrong and it’s another example of more overreach by the federal government. I stand with the hundreds of National Guard members who could be removed from service and urge those who can help them to do so.
We shouldn’t fire these brave soldiers serving our country by keeping Tennessee safe. They made the decision to serve and I believe they can make their own personal medical decisions.
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Former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell issued a statement in support of the National Guard members who are scheduled to be fired on June 30 due to their refusal to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
“The Biden Administration’s forced COVID-19 vaccination policy for men and women in the military is absolutely wrong and it’s another example of more overreach by the federal government,” said Harwell.
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Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles, a candidate in the August 4 Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat, said in a statement, the “SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and return decision-making authority to the people is an answer to prayer.”
Ogles talked about the historic nature of the decision and the importance defending the unborn.
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TN-5 candidate and former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell, in an exclusive statement sent to The Tennessee Star, lauded the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
“The Supreme Court made the right decision by overturning Roe v. Wade. I believe we must protect the right of the unborn and make sure those who can’t defend themselves have a voice,” Harwell said.
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Tennessee 5th Congressional candidate and former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell shared with The Tennessee Star what she learned during her trip to the U.S. southern border.
Harwell visited to Naco, Arizona on May 26th to visit the wall and attain firsthand experience on the problems that arise on the southern border.
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In an exclusive statement provided to The Tennessee Star, Kurt Winstead’s campaign in the Republican nomination contest for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District unveiled its “Strong American Families Plan.”
“Out of control gas prices and inflation, in addition to historic crime rates, are threatening American families. Joe Biden and the Democrats caused this problem. But conservative Republicans are going to be the ones to fix it,” said the retired general.
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Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles, a Republican candidate in the August 4 primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, announced Tuesday that he is joining U.S. Representative John Rose (R-TN-6) in criticizing proposed Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations that impose requirements on public companies regarding their non-financial activities.
“The proposed enhanced reporting requirements that will pressure public companies to pursue liberal political objectives regarding their environmental, social impact, and governance (ESG) policies rather than sound profit and business objectives is quite simply an assault on capitalistic and free-market principles,” Ogles said.
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Tennessee 5th Congressional District candidate and Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles called on Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) and congressional Democrats to “end the ridiculous January 6 partisan political charade.”
In a statement Thursday, the Republican said that the Democrat-controlled House needs to immediately end the January 6 show trial and refocus on the issues actually impacting American families.
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In an exclusive release first obtained by The Tennessee Star, former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell unveiled her first television ad for the August 4 Republican primary in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat.
In the ad, Harwell calls on Congress to finish President Trump’s wall, fight for tougher penalties on criminals and ban sanctuary cities.
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In a statement first obtained by The Tennessee Star, former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives and a Republican candidate in the August 4 primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District Beth Harwell celebrated Flag Day and announced her support for a Constitutional amendment that would make burning the American flag illegal.
“The American Flag is the greatest pillar of freedom across the globe. It is a guiding light to our troops and a symbol of hope to men, women, and children around the world who suffer under authoritarian regimes. Desecration of our flag is the greatest disrespect for the ideals our Founding Fathers sought to establish and to all who have given their lives to defend it. We must protect our flag and our freedom by passing a Constitutional amendment that outlaws the burning of our nation’s flag,” said Harwell.
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In an exclusive press statement obtained by The Tennessee Star, TN-5 Republican primary candidate Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles called for the Democrat-controlled U.S. House and U.S. Senate to immediately pass a 90-day moratorium on federal gasoline and diesel taxes.
“The absurd and destructive energy policies of the Biden Administration and the Democrat-controlled House and Senate, are producing the highest gas and diesel prices in history!” Ogles said. “As Democrats refuse to consider returning to the pre-Biden energy policies that had gas prices in the $2.20 range, the least they can do is give families a break this summer as we struggle with the Biden-flation caused by his inept and misguided energy and economic policies.”
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In an exclusive document provided to The Tennessee Star, TN-5 candidate and former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell announced that she visited the U.S. southern border in May and released her border security plan.
Harwell’s campaign confirmed that she visited the U.S. southern border on May 26, likely making her the first TN-5 candidate to make that trip.
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The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Tennessee Republican Party, vacating the injunction ordering Robby Starbuck on the August Republican Primary ballot and ruled that the TRP is not subject to the Tennessee Open Meetings Act.
The Court stated that Chancery Court Judge Russell Perkins erred in his decision.
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