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Cruz names anti-Shariah activist Kookogey as Tenn. chairman

tedcruz.org

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz has named anti-Shariah activist Kevin Kookogey as his state chairman for Tennessee.

Kookogey, a former chairman of the Williamson County Republican Party, was unsuccessful in his bid to coalesce tea party support for a primary challenge to U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander last year.

Kookogey in 2013 decided against mounting that long-planned campaign after former state Rep. Joe Carr decided to get in the race. Carr ended up losing to Alexander by fewer than 10 percentage points.

As head of the Williamson County GOP, Kookegey presided over the 2012 passage of a resolution criticizing Republican Gov. Bill Haslam over the role of a Muslim staffer and a council that has advised two state departments on Islamic affairs.

The Haslam administration denied it was promoting any religion.