Naifeh Running Out Of Options
Posted on November 10, 2008 at 11:02 amThe announcement Friday that Rep. Kent Williams, one of six “Naifeh Republicans” will support Republican Leader Jason Mumpower for speaker was serious setback for current speaker Jimmy Naifeh’s bid to retain his post.
Although the state House now has a Republican majority, it is only a one vote majority, Naifeh needs to flip only one Republican to keep his spot on top of the food chain at Legislative Plaza.
Williams looked like a prime target for a pick off. He has had more than a few beefs with conservative members of his caucus. His reelection was openly opposed by conservatives and he had a very public back and forth with conservative stalwart Stacey Campfield on the floor of the House.
Now that Williams is no longer target, who is left? What can Naifeh offer a Republican to go against his party?
One thing that Naifeh could offer a Republican is regional parity. Speaker Naifeh is from Tipton County nestled securely in the Western part of Tennessee. If Jason Mumpower is elevated to speaker not only will the two most powerful spots in the legislature be held by East Tennesseans they will be held by members representing a very narrow area of East Tennessee.
Jason Mumpower is not just an East Tennessean, he is Ron Ramsey’s state Representative and Ramsey is Mumpower’s state Senator. If Mumpower is speaker, power and influence will be concentrated not just in two members of the same party, it will be concentrated in two members representing essentially the same geographical area.
Tennessee is a big state and there has always been a battle for supremacy across the three grand divisions of Tennessee. If Naifeh were to come to a West Tennessee Representative, say Naifeh Republican Steve McDaniel, and remind him that a Speaker Mumpower may have little love for West Tennessee, could he be persuaded?
An interesting argument, but one that may be moot. Steve Gill reported this morning that Jason Mumpower may have made his own regional argument to McDaniel — offering the West Tennessee Rep. the title of House Speaker Pro Temp in exchange for his vote for a Republican speaker.
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4 Responses to “Naifeh Running Out Of Options”
AC,have you ever been to Henderson County? Back in the early 90’s before I wised up. I used to help put up democrat campaign signs in that area. We would come back a few days later and the few signs that were still up would have human feces on them and they would smell of urine. So I can’t imagine what they would do to McDaniel if he were to betray them on this Speakers vote.
The regional argument will hold no truck with House Republicans. West Tennessee Democrats monopolized the game for years, and most of the Naifeh Eleven(Nine, Seven…) were from the East.
I can guarantee that Steve McDaniel will be true to his party. Anyone who knows him realizes he is a genuinely loyal Republican, albeit a pragmatist one. True he voted for Naifeh in the past because he felt he could better serve his constituents by siding with the Speaker. But there is no way Steve will betray his party now that it has a majority.
Rep. Naifeh better get used to the view from the floor.
The regional argument will hold no truck with House Republicans. West Tennessee Democrats monopolized the game for years, and most of the Naifeh Eleven (Nine, Seven…) were from the East.
I can guarantee that Steve McDaniel will be true to his party. Anyone who knows him realizes he is a genuinely loyal Republican, albeit a pragmatist one. True he voted for Naifeh in the past because he felt he could better serve his constituents by siding with the Speaker. But there is no way Steve will betray his party now that it has a majority.
Rep. Naifeh better get used to the view from the floor.
Lost Our Lease — Everything Must Go!