NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Longtime Republican operative Tom Ingram is going to work for the presidential campaign of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Ingram acknowledged to The Tennessean newspaper (http://tnne.ws/1gyASfU ) that it will be a difficult task in Tennessee because in his words the state “has kind of gone to the fringes” in the last two presidential primaries.

Tennessee Republicans in the 2008 primary voted for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and in 2012 they went with former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.

Ingram is a former adviser to Gov. Bill Haslam and to U.S. Sens. Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander. He also worked on former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential bid.

Ingram said his responsibilities for the Bush campaign include working on the delegate selection process in Tennessee and other states.