Former Trump Administration State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus officially announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination to represent Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District early Monday morning.
Ortagus’ campaign sent out a press release announcing the candidacy, along with a campaign video. Ortagus then joined Nashville’s Morning News with Dan Mandis.
Mandis immediately asked her about her previous comments disparaging President Trump.
Mandis: You’ve said a few things – I’ve just got to get this stuff out of the way – regarding the former president. There’s a lot of Trump supporters that listen to this radio show and listen to this radio station. When you were campaigning with Jeb Bush, you said just a few disparaging things about the former president as you were campaigning for Jeb Bush. Then, you went to go work for President Trump.
So let’s talk about, one, the comments you made about Trump. I know the answers to these questions but I want other folks to hear it from you. So talk about your thoughts on Donald Trump before you worked for him, your thinking when you were campaigning with Jeb Bush, and then when you ended up working for Donald Trump.
Ortagus: Listen, this is very simple. It’s very easy. You know, I’ve supported Donald Trump since he was the nominee six years ago. I’ve worked for him. I defended him. It was really the honor of a lifetime to be state department spokesman. I mean, that’s really a dream job, especially somebody like me.
I’m from a very small town. My sisters and I are the first ones in our family to go to college. I feel like in so many ways I’ve been so blessed. I’ve lived the American dream. And when I was able to work for Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo as their spokesperson at the state department, I was able to travel around the world and be the face for America First foreign policy and to talk about why President Trump wanted things like NATO allies to pay their fair share – why we were doing the maximum economic pressure campaign on Iran – why we were holding China accountable. And so I think that I earned his endorsement. I’m beyond honored, beyond happy, to have earned his endorsement, and I think that we worked so closely together in the trenches on things that all of you got to see. Some of them, like the best accomplishments of any president in my lifetime, things like the Abraham Accords – the first peace deals between Israel and Arab states in 26 years – these are the things that I was intimately involved with, with him and his administration. So I’m thrilled and honored to have worked for him, to have earned his endorsement, and that’s what I’m here to talk about today in Tennessee.
Mandis: When you made the transition from Jeb Bush to Trump’s administration – again, it is just part of politics when you are out campaigning for one candidate and then that candidate drops out – you see an opportunity to gain experience and have that opportunity to work with the eventual president of the United States, is it difficult for you to make that transition from your previous comments, then going to work for the guy that you were criticizing?
Ortagus: Look, for six years I’ve supported President Trump. For six years I have been on his team. I have advocated for him. I was a surrogate on the 2016 campaign and then of course, went into the administration. It is an honor to work for him. I just went through the list of accomplishments.
Listen to more of the interview here.
The Tennessee Star previously reported Ortagus’ former history of strong words against President Trump that she made when she was working as a spokesman for a super PAC supporting the Jeb Bush 2016 campaign for the GOP presidential nomination. Ortagus expressed doubt at one point that she was unsure if she would vote for him if he were to become the Republican nominee, referred to comments he made as “disgusting,” and said, “Quite frankly, I don’t want someone with the temperament of a middle school pubescent boy in the president’s office.” In an op-ed written for Fox Business in March of 2016, she wrote, “People know Trump isn’t serious.”
President Trump clearly didn’t hold those comments against Morgan Ortagus as she went on to serve in the Trump administration for two years, and now Ortagus has President Trump’s endorsement.
Ortagus said the following in her press release Monday morning:
“In President Trump’s administration I fought for conservative policies that put America first, but now, we must fight harder than we ever have before to push back against the Democrats’ extremism. We built the wall, created a strong economy, stood up to our adversaries, and promoted freedom at home and abroad, but the Biden administration and their radical Democrat allies in Congress are dead-set on undoing that good work. As a U.S. Navy Reserve Officer, I am answering the call to service, and I will never back down from fighting for my country and the good people of Tennessee to stand for American greatness. I’m grateful to have President Trump’s support, and I look forward to earning your vote and standing with you to protect our conservative values.“
Ortagus joins a Republican primary field that includes film director Robby Starbuck, businessman Baxter Lee, Natisha Brooks, and former Tennessee National Guard Brigadier General Kurt Winstead.
Other Republicans who are considering entering the TN-5 race include former Tennessee State House Speaker Beth Harwell and Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles.
The period to collect qualifying petitions began on February 7 and ends at noon on Thursday, April 7, 2022. Both Starbuck and Ortagus, new residents of Tennessee, are likely to face challenges before the Tennessee Republican Party as to their “bona fide” status and eligibility to be placed on the August 2022 Republican Party ballot.
It is unclear at present who will enter the Democrat primary race. Prior to redistricting, Justice Democrat Odessa Kelly had announced a primary challenge to now-retiring Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN-05). The district, which previously contained all of Davidson, and parts of Cheatham and Dickson Counties, now consists of parts of Davidson, Williamson, and Wilson Counties; and all of Maury, Marshall, and Lewis Counties.
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
I like both, ” elitist carpetbaggers and parachuting in” knows absolutely nothing about Tennessee, just had a baby ( taking care of and raising her child is a hell of a-lot more important than a Congressional seat) and been here less than a year. A NO VOTE – NOTHING TO SEE HERE – JUST MOVE ON!! # 1. Not trustworthy # 2 unelectable and # 3 A Carpetbagger – just go away. We maybe just hillbilly Tennesseans ,but we have something a lot of young people and move ins do not – Common sense!! “Lets Go Brandon”
I heard the interview–she’s definitely unimpressive. Also, she just had a baby, who is going to raise it while she is in DC? Is she going to relocate while pretending to represent 5thD TN?
I just have nothing for elitist carpetbaggers–and parachuting in, living here less than a year and thinking you “know” the people? Seriously that is arrogant
Great. A female version of Romney. Trump endorsement or not, she’s not getting my vote. Trump is thinking with his Richard again. I’m all in for MAGA but his endorsement means nothing to me. He’s picked some real POS’s for his cabinet so his judgement is not flawless.
I’m sticking with Starbuck.
Jeb Bush supporter turned Donald Trump supporter? Globalist turned America First? Yeah right! I’ll believe that when Lucifer is selling ice cubes!
Tennessee doesn’t want or need another career politician that changes beliefs depending on the direction of the wind!