Kurt Winstead and Morgan Ortagus

Kurt Winstead and Morgan Ortagus

Former congressional candidate Morgan Ortagus is advising ex-rival Kurt Winstead in his bid for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District.

Ortagus, a former U.S. State Department aide who was endorsed by former President Trump, was kicked off the Republican primary ballot after state GOP officials determined she was not a “bona fide” Republican. That effort followed a push in the state legislature to disallow newcomers like Ortagus and music video producer Robby Starbuck from participating in the 5th District primary, a free-for-all after Republicans turned the Democratic stronghold into a GOP-leaning seat and longtime Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Nashville) opted to retire.