Democratic Pluralism is Not a Lie—MPAC Responds to Rep. Andy Ogles
Washington, D.C. | www.mpac.org | March 10, 2026—In the onslaught of anti-Muslim hatred amplified as the midterm elections approach, Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee declared in an X post on March 9, 2026, that “Muslims do not belong in American society”—a sweeping and dangerous statement that not only isolates American Muslims but directly undermines the Constitution and the First Amendment, which are meant to ensure religious freedom.
This comes as part of a larger transatlantic trend MPAC has been monitoring through its Center for Security, Technology, and Policy over the past several months, in which politicians in both the United States and Europe have increasingly utilized Islamophobia as a political strategy— scapegoating and consistently framing Muslim communities as incompatible with the West. When governance falters, politicians reach for fear, division, and the marginalization of vulnerable communities.
Figures like Rep. Randy Fine and Rep. Andy Ogles have chosen this exact playbook, further normalizing incredible bigoted statements from sitting members of Congress that surely have American Muslims in their constituencies. Rather than demonstrating leadership or policy competence, they resort to finger-pointing and manufactured outrage, positioning Muslim communities as political targets.
Rep. Andy Ogles is part of the Sharia-Free America Caucus, originally established by Representatives Keith Self and Chip Roy in December of 2025. Since its inception, the caucus has grown to forty-seven members from twenty states, including:
Keith Self (TX-03)
Nick Begich (AK-at large)
Cory Mills (FL-07)
Mike Haridopolos (FL-08)
Ben Cline (VA-06)
Paul Gosar (AZ-09)
John McGuire (VA-05)
Addison McDowell (NC-06)
Morgan Griffith (VA-09)
Aaron Bean (FL-04)
Riley Moore (WV-02)
John Rutherford (FL-05)
Michael Rulli (OH-06)
Buddy Carter (GA-01)
Mike Ezell (MS-04)
Andy Harris (MD-01)
Anna Pualina Luna (FL-13)
Pat Harrigan (NC-10)
Chip Roy (TX-21)
Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN-06)
Brandon Gill (TX-26)
Michael Cloud (TX-27)
Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)
Wesley Hunt (TX-38)
Pete Sessions (TX-17)
Pat Fallon (TX-04)
Craig Goldman (TX-12)
Brian Babin (TX-36)
August Pfluger (TX-11)
Mary Miller (IL-15)
Andy Biggs (AZ-05)
Eli Crane (AZ-02)
Byron Donalds (FL-19)
Scott Perry (PA-10)
Randy Fine (FL-06)
Andy Ogles (TN-05)
Eric Burlison (MO-07)
Josh Brecheen (OK-02)
Sheri Biggs (SC-03)
Ralph Norman (SC-05)
Barry Moore (AL-01)
Tracey Mann (KS-01)
Russ Fulcher (ID-01)
Mike Kelly (PA-16)
Mike Kennedy (UT-03)
Andrew Clyde (GA-09)
Mark Harris (NC-08)
MPAC continues to track these developments and is expanding our Randy Fine Censure Campaign to include bigots like Rep. Andy Ogles, while ensuring the Sharia Free America Caucus isn’t left unchecked.
