Tennessee's GOP dumps Trump-endorsed House candidate from the ballot in embarrassing rebuke to the former president

• The Tennessee GOP removed Trump-endorsed candidate Morgan Ortagus from the primary ballot.
• It said she didn't meet its criteria for running for office in the state.

The Tennessee Republican Party axed the Donald Trump-endorsed candidate Morgan Ortagus from the party's ballot in the race for its 5th congressional district.

The state GOP said in a statement Tuesday that it was disqualifying Ortagus from the race because she did not meet its requirements to stand for election to represent the state in the House of Representatives.

The criteria include voting in three of the state's last four primary elections and being actively involved in local Republican politics, The Tennesseean reported.

Ortagus had drawn criticism from Tennessee Republicans for only having moved to the state in the last year and for failing to answer several basic questions about the district she was seeking to represent in a radio interview last month.

The former president has endorsed more than 100 candidates in the primaries as he seeks to consolidate his control over the Republican Party.

He endorsed Ortagus, who served in his administration as a State Department spokesperson, even before she announced her candidacy in February.

Her removal from the primary ballot is a rare example of Trump encountering pushback from state-level GOP officials.

The Tennessee GOP also removed Robby Starbuck, who is from California, from the ballot. Trump had drawn rare criticism from figures on the GOP's right wing over endorsing Ortagus over Starbuck, drawing attention to critical statements she had made about Trump before serving in his administration.

Candidates are seeking to replace Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper, who is retiring. Recent redistricting changes mean Republicans are optimistic of their chances of victory there.