NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee lawmakers on Monday passed a residency requirement for Republican and Democratic U.S. House and Senate hopefuls that would kick in right away, a move that aims to nudge at least one GOP hopeful for a redrawn, open Nashville House seat off a crowded primary ballot.
After a standoff over whether to delay the change until after the 2022 midterm general elections, the House relented and went with the Senate’s view that the proposal should take effect for this year’s contests. It now heads to Republican Gov. Bill Lee to decide whether or not to sign it into law.
If it’s signed, the change could be destined for a court fight.
It is unclear if the proposal is legal under the U.S. Constitution, which only dictates that a congressional candidate be a citizen for at least seven years, at least 25 years old and an “inhabitant” of the state in which they want to be elected. The U.S. Supreme Court has previously determined that any requirement not explicitly outlined in the Constitution is out of bounds.
In the race for the Nashville House seat, former President Donald Trump has announced his endorsement of Morgan Ortagus, which has ruffled Republicans who say Ortagus is a recent transplant to not only the district but also Tennessee. Ortagus was a U.S. State Department spokesperson during the Trump administration.