Residency requirement bill exposes rift in Tennessee GOP

Tennessee lawmakers want to place a residency requirement on congressional seats. But they can’t decide whether it should go into effect before or after the November election. Their decision could affect one candidate in particular.

If Republicans get their way, Morgan Ortagus might not be able to run in Nashville’s redrawn 5th Congressional district.

Ortagus is a former spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State. She’s one of a few newcomers to Tennessee who have signaled interest in running in Republican-friendly districts as drawn by state lawmakers in January. And she was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

As it stands, congressional candidates can run in any district if they’re 25 years old and have been a U.S. citizen for seven years. This proposal would add a requirement that candidates must live in their district for at least three years.

Read more: https://wpln.org/post/residency-requirement-bill-exposes-rift-in-tennessee-gop/