Tenn. congressional primary between MAGA rivals Ortagus, Starbuck devolves into carpetbagging row

The Republican primary race in Tennessee's 5th Congressional District has degenerated into a fight about carpetbagging amid allegations that conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck is ineligible to run for the party's nomination for the House seat based on his limited voting history in the state.

According to Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden, a qualifying GOP congressional candidate in the state must have voted in at least three of the last four statewide primary elections. 

Starbuck reportedly said in a Jan. 21 radio interview that he previously cast ballots in two Tennessee GOP primaries. 

But Starbuck has never voted in a prior GOP primary in the state, according to The Tennessee Star. The news outlet reports that when it questioned Starbuck about the issue he responded by posting a "profanity-laced" video online. 

Wilson County Republican Chair Brad Lytle said Starbuck hasn't sent him any information regarding his voting history to satisfy the statewide primary voting requirement, which is part of the state GOP bylaws.

Starbuck told Just the News that he is qualified to run in the 5th district.

"I lived in a Closed Primary State most of my adult life and the only party I've ever been registered with is the Republican Party," he said. "I voted Republican in the elections in the previous state I lived in where I voted consistently. Since becoming a full-time Tennessee resident, I voted in every election I've been here for."

Starbuck said the people should be able to decide who they want to represent them, adding that he is one of the most vocal Republicans in the country.

"The idea that anyone could say I’m not a Republican is ludicrous," he said in a statement. "Stealing the people’s ability to vote for the candidate they want is what they do in communist countries, not America."

President Trump has endorsed former State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus in the race. Although she hasn't formally announced that she is running for the seat, Ortagus tweeted: "Thank you, President Trump! It was an honor working for the #AmericaFirst agenda in your administration. Like you, I'll always fight for American greatness."

Ortagus currently works for Rubicon Founders in Nashville, according to the Tennessee Star and the company's website. Her Linkedin page shows that she started in the position last February. It is unclear if Ortagus would satisfy the voting record requirement for qualified GOP candidates.

Ortagus could not be reached for comment prior to publication of this story.

Andy Ogles, mayor of Maury County, Tenn., said on a talk radio show that a new Tennessee resident could run for a congressional seat in the state, per federal rules.

"You can import your voting record," he said. "So let's say you've lived in Georgia and you just moved here and you've always voted in Republican primaries, you can import that record as part of your record here. So it's not excluding someone who just moved here as far as becoming 'bona fide.'"

The radio host replied, saying, "It’s the Carpetbagger’s Rights Act."

Ogles responded, "Again, you said it."

Just the News contacted Golden, the Tenn. state GOP chair, to see if the party's bylaws would allow Starbuck and Ortagus to import their voting records from other states. 

"Article IX of the TNGOP Bylaws lays out the standard which essentially is active in the party, voted in 3/4 or be vouched for," he said. "Your voting record does follow you from county to county and state to state. So a registered Georgia Republican who voted in the congressional primary in 2016 would be used to verify his/her Bona Fide status for a Tennessee office in 2022."

Golden said Starbuck and Ortagus would qualify as candidates in the GOP primary if they previously voted in other states, "provided that those primaries are the last four."

"You can't have voted in 2010 and 2012 and use those votes toward your Bona Fide status for example," he said.