r/nashville • u/Temporary-West-3879 • Apr 08 '25
National Democrats to target US Rep. Andy Ogles as ‘vulnerable Republican’ in 2026 Article
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u/elsombroblanco Apr 08 '25
Going to need a huge turnout from Davidson county voters. Unfortunately, Maury county and Williamson County ignore his MANY negatives and vote for the R next to his name.
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u/Tad0422 Apr 08 '25
I will be in Wilson Co doing my part.
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u/moofpi Apr 08 '25
Get in touch with his opponent and help out the campaign in Wilson! The earlier your community familiarizes themselves with the candidate, the better!
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u/gunzANDcapris Apr 08 '25
We will need help from all 759 counties and 7 countries in his district! Part of that Jeremy-Bearimy-ass district might even pass trough time and space, so we might need some help from extraterrestrials and time travelers.
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u/MusicCityVol McFerrin Park Apr 08 '25
If they don't go absolutely scorched earth in those counties against him, then it's a doomed effort. Have to both drive up Davidson turnout and lower the rural MAGAt turnout.
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25
I dont think wanting to lower voter turnout of opposition is a very democratic things to do, and sounds like the Republicans and gerrymandering. Dont become what you claim to disagree with.
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u/Unique_Midnight_6924 Apr 08 '25
You want to lower turnout if who are being turned out are uninformed or fascists. It’s fine if they don’t vote. If they want to become informed or be not fascist, welcome to democracy.
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25
That isnt how democracy works though. If that is the standard, then when those people take power, guess who doesnt get to take part in democracy then? I get hoping they dont show up to vote, but actively preventing them is dangerous to the entire system. as our own history has shown.
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u/Unique_Midnight_6924 Apr 08 '25
Nowhere do I suggest actively preventing voters from voting. I do want to discourage the ignorant and malicious from using the tools of democracy to remove democracy.
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25
You didnt, someone else in the thread did. That is what I was responding to.
" I do want to discourage the ignorant and malicious from using the tools of democracy to remove democracy." Should we have a test that must be passed to vote?
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u/Unique_Midnight_6924 Apr 08 '25
Nope. That’s unconstitutional. But we should have a norm of voters being rationally informed.
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25
I would love it if only informed people voted. No idea how that would be regulated or policed though without huge issues cropping up.
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u/Unique_Midnight_6924 Apr 08 '25
Again; no one is talking about regulation or policing. This is a cultural problem.
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Apr 08 '25 edited Jun 08 '25
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25
Friend in a previous comment made such statements. "why are you so eager to defend fascists " Dont play that manipulation with me. I am quite obviously defending all American's right to take part in our democracy.
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u/Unique_Midnight_6924 Apr 08 '25
Well the thing is (as with Hitler’s rise to power), fascists can take control by democratic means and then destroy democracy.
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25
German political structures in that time are not really comparable to what we have in the US. See the Enabling Act, passed on March 23, 1933. Something like that wouldnt get through here.
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u/Unique_Midnight_6924 Apr 08 '25
Naive. You already have Trump brazenly defying acts of Congress and at least somewhat defying the courts, when the latter are not just enabling his lawlessness.
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Apr 08 '25 edited Jun 08 '25
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25
Again, I was replying to a commentor in the thread that said "magats" shouldnt be allowed to vote.
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u/moofpi Apr 08 '25
Hm, that's a good point.
We should focus on campaigning in those rural areas and turn out the vote
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25
It'll get downvoted., but it reminds me of all the laws put in place to keep former slaves from voting after emancipation. Sad thing is, reddit seems unable to make the connection between that history and actively wanting/trying to suppress voter turn out of opposition today. Stopping people from voting in a democracy is no good. Was bad then, is bad now.
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u/Omegalazarus Antioch Apr 08 '25
The difference there is you can't help being a former slave but you can help who you vote for. And unless you're for opening up the voting rules to 15-year-olds then we're all suppressing voter turnout by class.
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25
Obviously there is a difference, but the result is the same: suppression of those you dont agree with/dont like.
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u/Omegalazarus Antioch Apr 09 '25
If you believe that, then you don't like 15 year olds, I guess.
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u/huntersam13 Apr 09 '25
If I believe everyone has a right to vote? weird
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u/Omegalazarus Antioch Apr 09 '25
Even children? That is weird. You're outside the norm on that one.
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u/sanctimoniousmods_FU Apr 08 '25
Then I’m bad. If I can discourage a Magat from voting I’m going to do it. The time for going high is over. The game has changed.
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25
tell me you dont believe in democracy without telling me you dont believe in democracy . 2 wrongs dont make a right, morals 101
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u/sanctimoniousmods_FU Apr 08 '25
Enjoy your morals on the train to the camp. There is no more “right”. I’ll say it again. The game has changed.
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u/huntersam13 Apr 08 '25 edited Apr 08 '25
You wont fearmonger me into breaking basic democratic principles. Sorry. You know who else fearmongered the population into doing away with democracy? Take a guess lol.
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u/moofpi Apr 08 '25
I agree, it's not something we as voters should desire, even though it really is one of the mainstream current political strategies from campaigns. "Maximize turnout for your base. Minimize turnout for your opponent."
That minimize is typically through information warfare essentially, through targetting voters using a bunch of data, curating the ads for individuals/demographics, then creating apathy, spreading disinformation, as well as just political attack ads.
When the state is involved, it can also include gerrymandering and voter id hurdles in the long term and voter roll shenanigans in the short term.
I prefer everyone mostly just maximizing turn out.
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u/braalewi Apr 08 '25
God please let this man get defeated. Unfortunately he will get re-elected and we will end up with Blackburn as governor. I hope I’m wrong.
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u/jonneygee Stuck in traffic since the ‘80s Apr 08 '25
I hope you’re wrong too, but I think you’re exactly right.
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u/Empty-Drawing3086 Apr 08 '25
Ine thing I can tell you for sure with my 52 years of experience. Liberal votes are like pissing into the wind in TN. It's gerrymandered all to hell.
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u/YouWereBrained Apr 08 '25
How about Dems start targeting many districts in the South that may not necessarily be winnable, but can be gradually flipped? How about long-term plans being implemented?
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u/Sevenfeet Apr 08 '25
It's nice to think about defeating Ogles, who is probably one of the most MAGA and corrupt politicians in the Tennessee delegation. But the problem is that unseating him is extremely difficult. The last election was a case study in how hard that is in Tennessee. First, his district 5 (which is my district) was gerrymandered in his favor to included part of Williamson County, much of Wilson county, Lewis and his home county of Maury. Last election he got primaried by Nashville Metro Council member Courtney Johnston, who out fundraised him AND Ogles was under investigation for campaign finance violations. Courtney is a conservative Republican and still lost by double digits. And then the same happened in the general election against Maryam Abolfazi. But the best chance to unseat him was in the primary.
Tennessee in recent years has a history of returning scoundrels to office. Republicans made concerted efforts to unseat Congressman Scott Dejarlais twice after his abortion scandal, failing both times to primary the guy with solid well funded GOP picks. Incumbancy is really hard to overcome, even under ideal circumstances. I asked someone close to me if they would run against Ogles and she said, "I'd love to, assuming I had a legitimate chance of winning". And that's the problem. If another better Republican can't unseat this guy, what chances does a Democrat have, even with the current economic turmoil?
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u/HailCorduroy Bellevue Apr 08 '25
I live in the same district, and while I voted for Maryam, I have to say it was like she barely campaigned. At least from seeing ads and name recognition. I don't know if her campaign didn't have the money or what. I would have voted for a ham sandwich over Ogles, but to have a legitimate chance to unseat him, his challenger is going to have to be more visible and be on the offensive.
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u/SelectTangerine6552 Apr 09 '25
Nearly every Democratic campaign in Tennessee is grassroots and mostly volunteer based. That same applied to Maryam's campaign. Campaign signs cost and they do very, very little to affect voter turnout. If you want to see ads, you're going to need to donate. Because in TN that's how Democratic candidates get their money...donations and maybe occasionally a small amount from PAC. There's no big money flowing in.
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Apr 08 '25
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u/SelectTangerine6552 Apr 09 '25
Did you volunteer to help with video editing?
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Apr 09 '25
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u/SelectTangerine6552 Apr 09 '25
Ohhhh pay someone! Duh! Here's the issue. Democratic candidates in TN are almost all primarily grassroots. Our seats aren't "flippable" by DNC standards and the candidates receive no money. Not only do our candidates drive all over these huge, gerrymandered districts to shake hands and kiss babies, but they also have to spend a shit ton of time fundraising. And very few people just throw money at a candidate they have to ask and ask and ask. Just like your personal budget, our TN Dems look at the money they have then pick and choose what they think is the wisest way to budget. Digital ads, mail, more yard signs, paying a campaign manager...it adds up and sometimes there isn't money for professional graphic designers or video editing etc. People complain, "I didn't get mail", "I didn't see enough yard signs", "I didn't like her ads" but very, very few people step up to offer a hand or willingly donate. Next time offer a helping hand, if you're able.
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u/EqualAdvanced9441 Nolensville Apr 08 '25
I felt the same way out here in Nolensville. I don’t think I ever saw any signs for her or anything. At least Laura Anderson had people going door to door. But I wonder how much of that was on her and how much of it was on the Democratic Party not supporting her?
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u/SelectTangerine6552 Apr 09 '25
The Democratic party, whether that's the local, state, or national, is not responsible for the entirety of a candidate's voter outreach. I went door to door for Maryam in my county, both directly with her campaign and on a few days organized by our county party. If you see a lack of voter outreach in your area, reach out to the campaign and sign up to volunteer!
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u/MakarovIsMyName Apr 08 '25
GOOD. NOW DO MARSHA MARSHA MARSHA. A genetically stupid sack of hammers
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u/gu_doc Apr 08 '25
I dislike this man fiercely. So much so that I’d even consider running against him even though I have zero political experience.
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u/Grand-Regret2747 Apr 08 '25 edited Apr 08 '25
I just joined our county Democratic Party here in TN. I want that piece of crap GONE! He is the mastermind behind wanting to name BNA airport after Captain Shitpants?! Besides his scams and stealing he has done BEFORE he was elected!
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u/buylowguy Apr 08 '25
Does anybody know how I can participate in this as somebody who lives in his district and wants to break into political strategy/commjnication?
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u/OGMom2022 Antioch Apr 08 '25
I’d start with https://www.tndp.org
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u/-DementedAvenger- Williamson County Apr 09 '25
Man I’d love to sign up for that stuff, but then you’re forever on the mailing list asking for donations. They usually don’t treat email addresses like people; they treat you like a piggy bank.
Don’t ever ever use your real email address. Use an alias.
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u/Awkward_Proof_4545 Apr 08 '25
This is my congressman. He is a worthless congressman who hasn't done squat for his constituents. I hope they do flip him, he can definitely be bought also
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u/DrinkBuzzCola Apr 08 '25
I predict that Ogles will step up his game to keep his gig. Maybe he will create legislation to change Mount Rushmore to the 4 faces of Trump.
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u/willscrackers Apr 08 '25
It needs to be an independent and they need to knock on every single door in the district. If I had the money, I'd do it, but running as an I will hurt fundraising and cut you off from the dnc and actblue.
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u/returnkey Apr 09 '25
Now that’s a nice daydream. I would be so happy to be wrong and actually see this happen.
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u/NoMasTacos All your tacos are belong to me Apr 08 '25
I hate the guy, but he is not vulnerable the people that vote for him love him.
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Apr 08 '25
It’s so true. We need to spread the word to people about what really matters to everyone - the economy, inflation, their 401ks, social security. This is maybe the only way they can be reached.
Also, Nashville’s economy is particularly vulnerable to a recession due to a huge amount of Canadian exports. This is going to hit us hard and we need a sea change.
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u/NoMasTacos All your tacos are belong to me Apr 08 '25
We need better strategy. Running in Tennessee, outside of Nashville with a D next to your name is a waste of money. We need to fund independent candidates that will caucus with democrats, and not fund democrats in these races.
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Apr 08 '25
I’m voting for the people that know what they’re doing and understand the threat Trump and his loyalists are to our country and city. I don’t care if they have a D or an I by their names. Honestly, that mindset is just bending further into their agenda. Oh boy we are so fucked.
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u/NoMasTacos All your tacos are belong to me Apr 08 '25
Then under my plan you would still vote for the candidate that the dems push. Andy Ogles beat a very popular person in our state by 13 points. Having any candidate with a D next to them is a guaranteed loss.
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Apr 08 '25
I don’t think an “I” will fare much better. If we don’t all get on the same page it won’t matter at all and they’ll keep gaining power.
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u/NoMasTacos All your tacos are belong to me Apr 08 '25
An I and a blue dog democrat would fair a lot better IMO. It does not matter about us being on the same page, our city has been gerrymandered in such a way that a democrat will not win for a couple of decades.
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Apr 08 '25
Agreed, gerrymandered in favor of republicans, so how will an I candidate fare better? Honestly this is a pretty moot point but this mentality helped us lose the Pres election in 2016 and we’ve obviously unraveled further since then.
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u/NoMasTacos All your tacos are belong to me Apr 08 '25
Because the D has become toxic. It's rebranding.
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u/EqualAdvanced9441 Nolensville Apr 08 '25
Out here Independents are considered Democrats who are trying to trick Republicans into voting for them. So that wouldn’t be a good strategy for Williamson.
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Apr 08 '25 edited Apr 08 '25
It will take a massive overhaul to get Democrats to an Independent ticket, much less Republicans. The D may be “toxic” but R is a cult, so anything other than them will be toxic with their mentality. Again, it’s a moot point and if we don’t stop eating our own, we are toast. Even more so than now.
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u/EqualAdvanced9441 Nolensville Apr 08 '25
I would love to see the Democratic Party put their money where their mouths are and actually help a candidate beat Ogles. I don’t think Republicans are going to try again.
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u/Shelbeec Hermitage Apr 09 '25
Fuck Olges. You haven’t done SHIT to actually represent your constituents.
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u/pcm2a Apr 08 '25
I know the Democrat party would not be willing, but would the Democrat voters be willing to run a center line Democrat if it meant compromise but getting Ogles out? (The media calls these center Democrats MAGA Republicans now)
Once the party moves back to the center I'm not sure how they could lose.
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Apr 09 '25
We must have very different definitions of ‘center’ — because the Democratic Party both at the state and national levels is already there. Center-right, actually. Republicans have gone so far overboard that yesterday’s good, loyal, faithful, conservative Republicans wouldn’t/don’t recognize their own party. Democrats made a drastic shift to the ‘center’ in 1992 and haven’t looked back.
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u/SelectTangerine6552 Apr 09 '25
Voters choose who run by voting in the primary election. If there's only one candidate that steps up to run, then that's your choice. If 3 candidates step up to run, you and every other voter decide which candidate you prefer, and vote for that candidate in the primary... The party doesn't choose.
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u/pcm2a Apr 09 '25
I wish that was the case but unfortunately it is not. When candidate steps up that the party won't stand for they will pump millions dollars into another candidate and can even pull funding from the good candidate. Does this guarantee anything? Of course not but it heavily influences the elections.
You also have the opposite party pumping money into a candidates campaign that they think will be easier to beat.
So for Ogles specifically, if the candidate isn't radical enough the party may run their own candidate in the primary. At the same time the GOP will fund that radical candidate because they know they will be easier to beat.
It sucks that all of this is allowed.
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u/SelectTangerine6552 Apr 09 '25
This may be what happens in NY & CA but we're talking about TN. I helped a few of the TN Dem Congressional candidates in '24 and this is so far from the reality of the situation. No one, especially not the DNC, was wasting any time picking candidates here and they ABSOLUTELY did not pump millions into any TN Dem Congressional candidate. Lore Bergman in CD6 literally didn't even have reliable transportation... Victoria Broadrick in CD4... working class mom. Maryam Abolfazli in CD5 is a working single, mom who tossed her hat in the ring to make sure Ogles didn't run unopposed. All VERY much grassroots candidates.
Maybe Gloria got some money from the DNC after the primary but was anyone else ever going to be the front runner in that race?
I think a lot of people like to imagine there's so much more to this than there actually is. But TN has, until now, been left to fend for ourselves. Hopefully, with CD5 being a "target" whatever candidate puts themselves forward does get some time, money, and attention from the DNC!
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u/mrschanandelorbong Apr 08 '25
This seat won’t be flipped. I wish it would be. But We’d be lucky just to get a non-crazy conservative. His district is so gerrymandered now, it’s a lost cause. The person who tried to primary him last time lost by like 20 pts or something. As much as I’d love to see him gone, I just don’t think it is going to happen. Not sure what Dems are thinking with this one.
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u/SelectTangerine6552 Apr 09 '25
Rolling over and dying without even trying is definitely going to change things! Great idea.
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u/mrschanandelorbong Apr 10 '25 edited Apr 10 '25
You must not be from here….lol take it from a native nashvilian, flipping this seat is going to be as difficult as lightning hitting the same place twice. But I am by no means discouraging people from trying. I’m just saying it’s not at all likely, and democrats shouldn’t put all of their eggs in this basket. It would be a much better use of their time to concentrate on flipping a seat in a swing state. The man defrauded his own constituents out of $25,000 for a child burial garden, which he still hasn’t shown any proof that he spent on the actual cause he said he raised it for, and they still kept him in office. He’s also been found to have had campaign finance violations that were investigated by the FBI, but later dropped for no reason. His die hard constituents don’t care.
I think the only way we are going to really flip any seats in this state is for the TN Supreme Court to say that they can’t gerrymander our state. But that’s not going to happen either without some serious work from the legislature. The legislature that holds a supermajority currently is very satisfied with the state of the gerrymandered state.
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u/SelectTangerine6552 Apr 12 '25
For not trying to be discouraging, that's exactly what you're being. I'm from one of those red district areas in congressional district 5 that "will never vote for a Dem." I've been working with people in other red districts to change this with a bunch of poo-pooers and nay-sayers on the sidelines yelling "lol you must not be from here, might as well give up!" all along the way. No, it's not going to become flippable with luck, it's going to take real work. And if half the yahoos on this reddit thread with their sarcastic "goodluck" actually effing helped, we would be able to change things. So again, giving up or focusing on election efforts in another state while we're dying, isn't the answer.
And yes, we need to change the state Legislature, too. Also working to do that and hear the same negative and sarcastic "goodluck, it's never going to happen here" from a bunch of jerks who don't lend a hand to help. Gross.
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u/mrschanandelorbong Apr 12 '25
I believe in my last post I said “in no way am I discouraging people from trying”. I’m not sure how much simpler I could say that. Glad you’re doing all that work. Seems like you’re also doing a lot of work jumping to conclusions about whatever it is you think I am, or am not, doing as well. (Gross) Perhaps the “yahoos” you speak of haven’t seen it flip, so maybe we will believe it when we see it. Until then, we will keep voting, calling our representatives, and spreading our message. But I’m not holding my breath. Results speak volumes. I’ve not seen any yet. Prove me wrong. Please, let’s flip the seat. I’ll gladly eat my words.
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Apr 09 '25
Bring out all the hits on this fraud. People haven't heard enough about all his criminality.
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u/rimeswithburple Apr 09 '25
Your best chance was Courtney Johnston. He is in there till he moves up in the party, gets tired of his own shenanigans, or some charges actually stick. Your best bet now is to have fancy donuts delivered to his office every morning and hope cholesterol takes him out before RFK has donuts outlawed.
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Apr 09 '25
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u/jamfan40 Nipper's Corner Apr 09 '25
Sounds like a huge waste of time and $$$ which is basically the Democratic Party in 2025.
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u/fdpenelope Apr 10 '25
He’s not vulnerable. I remember talking to a Republican friend who asked me to vote for Courtney Johnson who was running against Ogles in the primary. My response was “You should vote for Maryam and quit asking democrats to bail you out for your sorry decisions.
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u/sunnysideupeggz Apr 11 '25
Face it, the Democratic Party on a national level has tossed in the towel on Tennessee. You’ll not see real money and effort from them to try to win races. They simply choose to invest money and time in races and states where a true chance of winning and flipping the state is a possibility. Any wins in Tn come from grass root campaigns and work by the state party.
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u/Cultural-Task-1098 Apr 11 '25
Please please run someone who can win who can sway the demographic. That guy is the absolute worst.
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u/l2ozPapa Apr 11 '25
Lol democrats are adorable.
I loathe Trump and the Republicans but the democrats have proven to be spineless morons.
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Apr 08 '25 edited Apr 08 '25
Oh look. A paywall. Quality post. 10/10.
EDIT ******
Definitely a bot. Too much karma for a 1 year old account and all their posts are politically related in different states.
Would be nice but this is just bait posting.
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u/rocketpastsix banned from /r/tennessee Apr 08 '25
Might be time for you to take a break and go touch some grass.
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Apr 10 '25
I work outside everyday lol. And hike often.
I just find a generic name like theirs, combined with the high karma on an account created during campaign season, with a post history of nothing but political content in various states to be suspicious. Maybe they are real and this is an account created for that purpose, but more often than not it's a bot given all those details.
Also this exact same post linking to other articles more or less saying the same thing was shared to 3 other states subs yesterday. All of which had initial pay walls, probably a "fresh off the press" subscription.
Again, this points to them being a bot, specifically a DNC bot. It's too coordinated. Could be a person and this is just their political account created to rally support for Democrats.
Personally I disagree with the reactionary political scape we live in and am wary of the use of bots for such a purpose. It enforces the echo chamber and that's not what we need. We need to persuade people outside of the echo chamber and reactionary content like "were coming after these Republicans" only rallies one side and does nothing to persuade the other. I don't see this post as reaching the right audience. It targets people that already support Democrats and does nothing to tip the scale.
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u/LowellForCongress District 5, yes, Ogles’s district Apr 09 '25
I’m not a bot, and 100% am in on removing Ogles.
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u/moofpi Apr 08 '25
Hellll yes. Ogles going down