The week in politics: Who is bankrolling the PACs spending big in TN's 5th District GOP race

Political action committees have shelled out more than half a million dollars in the heated Republican primary for Tennessee's 5th Congressional district between incumbent U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles and challenger Metro Council member Courtney Johnston.

While Ogles enjoys support from his longtime ally Americans for Prosperity Action, a new and well-funded PAC is backing Johnston.

Conservatives With Character Inc. is an independent super PAC formed in May 2024 by retired Tennessee GOP political director Randy Stamps.

It's funded entirely with donations from inside Tennessee, including significant contributions from Ryman Hospitality's Colin Reed, former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist, Nashville investor Joe Cook, Jones Brothers president Andrew Wall, Hardaway Construction Corp., Charter Construction Corp, and government affairs consultant and former U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper alum Sam Reed.

The bulk of Conservative With Character Inc.'s funding comes from a $140,000 contribution from another PAC: Best of Tennessee Action Fund, a group formed in April to tackle the "bubble of ideological extremism" in Tennessee.

Prominent Republican fundraiser Kim Kaegi sits on Best of Tennessee's board. She's also Johnston's campaign treasurer.

Best of Tennessee Action has received donations from former Tractor Supply president and chairman Joe Scarlett, now the vice chair of the Beacon Center of Tennessee, Nashville developer Tony Giarratana, businessman John Ingram, James Granberry, Brentwood investor Stephen Smith, and a $120,000 contribution from Best of Tennessee Inc.

Ogles ad uses 2-year-old Trump audio touting mayoral record

A new ad released by Ogles' campaign on Thursday features audio of former President Donald Trump's voice that tout's Ogles' "proven track record of creating jobs, protecting your communities and standing up for Tennessee's values."

But the unedited, the audio refers to Ogles' record as Maury County mayor, not as a member of Congress.

It's from a tele-townhall Trump held for Ogles on Oct. 20, 2022 as Ogles faced Tennessee Sen. Heidi Campbell, D-Nashville, in the general election for Tennessee's 5th District.

At the time, Trump touted Ogles' "proven track record of creating jobs" ― a reference to the GM and Ultium Cells expansions in Spring Hill, which were heavily incentivized with grants from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. Trump also praised Ogles, who he said "bravely stood up to the Biden administration's unconstitutional mandates" during the coronavirus pandemic ― during which Ogles was mayor. At the time, Trump also talked about wanting to "end Pelosi's political career."

Audio in the ad is paired with photos and footage of Ogles' first term in Congress. But there is no specific mention of his accomplishments in Congress in the ad, nor is there any acknowledgment that Trump is talking about his record as mayor.

Trump endorsed Ogles for reelection in 2023, and Ogles has touted his friendship with the former president as a central pillar of his reelection campaign.

Johnston blasts Ogles' dishonesty on finance disclosures

Johnston criticized Ogles' chronic inconsistencies on financial disclosures, after The Tennessean reported the freshman congressman omitted several significant financial interests, including his own salary, a line of credit, and state retirement account from disclosures submitted to the State of Tennessee as mayor.

"Andy Ogles has been running for office for 22 years and thinks he has figured out that he can say one thing and do another," Johnston said. "He is a hypocrite who disrespects the very rule of law he swore to uphold. The 5th Congressional District deserves better. We deserve someone with integrity that will represent our values each and every day."

Ogles filed more amendments to his latest campaign finance filings, submitted to the Federal Election Commission at midnight Monday, less than 48 hours after filing.

Williamson County GOP sends threatening mailers to crossover voters

Voters in Williamson County received mailers with a misleading message about Tennessee's laws on crossover primary voting this week.

Tennessee voters do not have to register by political party. Primary elections are open: voters at the polls may choose to cast a ballot in either Republican or Democratic primaries. There are no penalties for crossover voting defined in state law.

But, mailers sent by the Williamson County Republican Party this week told voters who participated in the March 2024 Republican primary that they had "declared allegiance" to the GOP and voting in any other primary in the Aug. 1 elections could be "punishable as a crime."

"Tennessee public voting records show that you voted in Williamson County as a Republican in the March 2024 Primary Election," the bright red mailers read. "In doing so, you declared your allegiance to the Republican Party after having voted in one or more of the last six state and county primaries for another party."

A 1972 law that is rarely enforced requires primary voters to be "bona fide" party members or to "declare allegiance" to their party. A new Tennessee state law passed in 2023 requires that signs be posted in polling places notifying voters of those requirements, and that voting outside one's party primary is "punishable as a crime."

But state law does not define "bona fide," (though parties have come up with their own definitions for affiliating political candidates), nor does it define for how long a declaration of allegiance to a candidate must last, nor does the law define consequences for crossover voting. The new state law is currently the subject of a legal challenge.

"Let's keep Williamson County red! Join your Williamson County Republican Party today in financially supporting our Republican candidates who are running for local, state and federal offices," the mailer read.

In a statement, Williamson County Republican Party chair Tracy Miller said the mailer "was a good faith effort to raise awareness of this issue and help educate the community about the law as it pertains to crossover voting as a tactic to help or hurt a candidate that one does not actually support."

"Someone who continuously vacillates back and forth ruins their own eligibility [to run for office]," Miller said. "Someone who does it deliberately, as a tactic, is breaking Tennessee State law."

Heated primaries for an open Tennessee House seat and Tennessee's 5th Congressional District race could draw crossover voters on Aug. 1.

Harshbarger nabs Trump endorsement

Hours before surviving an assassination attempt, Trump announced an endorsement for Tennessee Senate candidate Bobby Harshbarger, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, in a heated primary to represent Bristol and surrounding areas in upper East Tennessee. Harshbarger is the son of U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Kingsport, who has long been an outspoken supporter of Trump.

"Bobby Harshbarger is a fantastic Candidate who will do an incredible job in the Tennessee State Senate!" Trump posted on Truth Social late Friday evening. "An America First Conservative and Trusted Pharmacist, Bobby will work hard to Grow the Economy, Stop Inflation, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Secure the Border, Support our Wonderful Military/Vets, and Strongly Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.""Bobby’s mother is the GREAT Congresswoman from Tennessee, Diana Harshbarger," Trump added. "He and his family are fierce advocates for our Movement to Make America Great Again and, therefore, Bobby Harshbarger has my Complete and Total Endorsement!"

An ethics complaint has been filed with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance alleging unlawful collusion between Harshbarger's Senate campaign and a supportive political action committee that shares a treasurer with his mother's Congressional campaign.

Lundberg brushed off the Trump endorsement, saying his rival "called his mom to bail out his failing campaign," the Tennessee Journal reported.

Trump's endorsement comes at odds with Republican Governor's Association chair and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who has backed Lundberg. Lee spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, declaring support for Trump on behalf of GOP governors. When asked if he wished Trump hadn't waded in to the Tennessee primary race, Lee said everyone has a right to "endorse and choose who they're going to engage with."

"I certainly respect President Trump's decisions to weigh in to races," Lee told The Tennessean in Milwaukee. "That being said, I'm grateful for Jon Lundberg's work and what he's done to work with us. I'll continue to do everything I can to make sure he gets reelected."

Lee calls for civility after assassination attempt

Will calls for increased political unity in the wake of Saturday's shooting trickle down to state politics?

Lee said Thursday in Milwaukee he thinks the tragic incident "stirred within a lot of people the hope that we could move toward a more unified place."

Lee has long called for increased civility in politics, collaborating with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, chair of the National Governors Association, earlier this year on Cox's initiative to encourage Americans to "Disagree Better."

Cox has taken heat from the left and his GOP primary opponent for his effort to combat political polarization. The Utah governor has refused to vote for Trump, whose divisive rhetoric has often devolved into personal mockery, such as when the former president mocked Paul Pelosi, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, after he was injured in a violent home invasion.

Lee, a Trump supporter who took to the RNC stage earlier in the week, said he's "hopeful that there may be a turn going forward" in the tenor of political rhetoric.

"Trump has signaled his desire for that," Lee said, noting President Joe Biden has done the same. "Let's tone it down and remind ourselves what really matters."

Democrats to hold annual Three Star fundraiser

The Tennessee Democratic Party will hold its annual Three Star Dinner fundraiser on Saturday, July 27 at the Omni Hotel in Nashville, gathering top party brass from across the state.

Headlining the event are author and inspirational speaker Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Tennessee Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, and Tennessee House Minority Leader Karen Camper, D-Memphis.

The event will begin hours after former Trump is set to speak across the street at a Bitcoin conference at the Music City Center.

Ogles proposes defunding D.C. Statehood commission

Ogles has proposed an amendment to the federal budget seeking to end funding for statehood efforts for Washington, D.C., and defund local elections for the city's unseated representation in Congress.

An budget amendment filed by Ogles would bar federal and local funds from going to the New Columbia Statehood Commission, which coordinates D.C. statehood efforts, and also bar funding from being used for D.C.'s delegate elections. The New Columbia Statehood Commission was founded in 2014.

Because Washington, D.C. is not a state, there is no seated member of Congress to represent the interests of its nearly 700,000 residents. The district elects non-voting delegates to the U.S. House of Representatives who can draft legislation, but cannot vote. The current delegate is U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton. The city also elects designated "Shadow Senators" and a "Shadow Representative" to represent the city's interests in Congress, who are not recognized by the U.S. government as a full member of the House of Representatives.

Incumbent U.S. Shadow Representative for D.C. is currently Oye Owolewa, a pharmacist who has served in that position since 2021.

"I'm shocked and dismayed by the continued antics shown by Mr. Ogles," Oye said in a statement. "Rather than focusing on the needs of his constituents in Tennessee, Mr. Ogles is spending his time meddling with DC Voters. For no good reason, Mr. Ogles is trying to cancel my upcoming election after a successful primary. Something like this has never happened before."

"It's time for Mr. Ogles to pay attention to the needs of the good people whom he's supposed to represent rather than meddle with DC's local elections," Owolewa said. "Quite frankly, Mr. Ogles needs to mind his business."

The shadow representative model has existed since the late 18th Century, used by states prior to their admission to the Union. The first shadow Senators were William Blount and William Cocke, both of the Southwest Territory, who were elected and continued to serve as U.S. Senators when Tennessee gained statehood.

Catch up on the week

Sen. Marsha Blackburn leads senators in chasing, demanding Secret Service answers on Trump assassination attempt

Bitcoin2024 security reevaluated for ex-President Donald Trump's speech in Nashville

Courtney Johnston outraises Andy Ogles in GOP race for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District

At RNC, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee calls school choice the 'civil rights issue of our time'

Tennessee US Rep. Andy Ogles omitted line of credit, undervalued property in disclosures

US Sen. Marsha Blackburn touts Tennessee small business, income tax fight at RNC address

Tennessee's delegates boost Trump to official nomination at RNC: How many delegates does state have?

TN voters receiving citizenship letters call move an intimidation tactic: ‘A gut punch’

Club for Growth-backed PAC to spend $3.6M to oust Niceley, Richey, back voucher candidates

Tax free weekend in Tennessee is coming up. Here's what can and can't be purchased

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee 5th District Republican primary: These PACs are spending big