Donald Trump is facing backlash from die-hard loyalists over his decision to intervene in a Tennessee House race, with his supporters accusing him of spurning a Republican ally who is running.
Morgan Ortagus, who served as a State Department spokesman during Trump's administration, is considering a run for a Middle Tennessee-based congressional district. The announcement has caused a controversy, with far-right backers ranging from North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn to conservative activist Candace Owens taking to social media to voice their support for Robby Starbuck, a rival candidate who has been a mainstay of the pro.
One of the former president's most prominent supporters, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, promoted a critique of Ortagus. The complaints include her being photographed with President Joe Biden and having her wedding presided over by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Two people say that Donald Trump Jr. and Dan Scavino, two of the former president's top lieutenants, have privately voiced their displeasure over what Trump's inner circle concedes was a hasty endorsement.
Starbuck is a first-time candidate and a relative newcomer to the district, and he has posted lackluster fundraising numbers. The episode represents perhaps the most intense blowback Trump has received from loyalists since leaving office, and a potential test of the former president's credibility with some of his fiercest defenders. While he has endorsed in races up and down the ballot, few of them have generated much criticism from allies, though there have been ongoing questions about how carefully Trump has made his endorsement decisions.
Daniel Bostic, a conservative activist who has closely documented the backlash, said that this is a "watershed moment" for the entire Trump team.
The decision to get behind Ortagus unfolded quickly, unlike many of the former president's other endorsements. The would-be candidate met with Trump on Monday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where she informed him she was considering running. After their meeting, Trump began asking people what they thought of Ortagus.
The former president decided to make the announcement by Tuesday evening. He said that the 39-year-old Ortagus, a former Fox News contributor, was fantastic in her role.
If Morgan Ortagus decides to run, she will have my complete and total endorsement.
The response was swift.
Ned Ryun, a conservative activist, wrote that it was absolutely not.
Nope. Owens said that Trump has this completely wrong.
John Cardillo wrote that Trump is firmly in the establishment camp.
Within a few hours, Bostic, who was a producer of the pro-Trump documentary, The Plot Against the President, began pumping out a series of photographs of Ortagus alongside Biden and Ginsberg while noting that she worked on Bush. A TV clip from 2016 was shared by the Republic PAC account, which said that Ortagus wasn't a Trump fan.
Some in Trump's inner circle felt that Ortagus wasn't an announced candidate and that his endorsement was an impulsive, poorly planned and unnecessary one.
Others defended the move, saying they had received positive feedback. They pointed out that Ortagus had a role in Trump's first campaign and that she defended the administration's policies during her time at the State Department. Ortagus was a guest host on "The View" in November and went after House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff.
Robert O Brien, who served as Trump's national security adviser, announced his support for Ortagus on Tuesday evening.
There is a degree of skepticism within some corners of Trump's camp about whether Starbuck would be the strongest candidate in a crowded primary. While Starbuck has gained support from out-of-state Trump supporters, he has never run for office and has only lived in the district for a few years. A number of well-known local officials are expected to attend the primary. Former Tennessee state House Speaker Beth Harwell is one of the potential candidates.
It's not clear if Ortagus will enter the congressional contest. She has yet to make a final decision after reaching out to strategists and local party officials. Since the end of the Trump administration, Ortagus has been working in the health-care industry.
The drama has taken center stage whether she jumps in or not.
Several attendees at the Wednesday evening event said that donors inquired about how the endorsement had unfolded.
Bostic said that the endorsement really came as a complete shock.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
