Better For Whom?
Posted on February 5, 2009 at 12:50 pmLt. Governor Ron Ramsey tells Speaker Kent Williams that it would be better for him if he left the Republican Party rather than get kicked out:
“I sat down and talked with Kent Williams about this in my office, and to be honest, I think it’d be better for him if he was independent,” Ramsey said. “I think it would be better if he made that choice instead of being kicked out of the party. I think the whole atmosphere, the whole situation would work better if he was an independent.”
Better for him, Governor Ramsey, or better for you?
As I’ve said before, Kent Williams doesn’t want to be a Republican when the elections of 2010 rolls around. He can’t win a Republican in this climate. This much we know. On this point, Ramsey is correct.
The Republican Party will use all it’s powers and all of it’s skills to defeat Kent Williams in 2010. It won’t be like Kurita or Mike Williams last time. Kurita’s vote for Ramsey, while despised by activists, was understood by certain factions of the party and the casual Democratic leaning voter. Williams’ 2005 vote for Speaker Wilder was ameliorated by the fact that it was some time past by the time 2008 rolled around and he did, in fact, vote for Ramsey in 2007.
Kent Williams will be different. The conservatives hated him before.
They had already tried to defeat him. This time, they will have the party infrastructure behind them as well.
Williams’ only chance to maintain his seat in the legislature is as an independent. True, there aren’t many Democrats up in Carter County, but he’ll need every one to win. He’ll also need the casual voter, the voter that leans Republican, but is not necessarily an activist or a primary voter.
The last thing Kent Williams wants to do is make the Kurita mistake, stay in a party where they activists and the establishment are against you. So Ramsey is right, Williams does need to be an independent for his own good but which is better for him, being kicked out or leaving?
Again, Williams is from Carter County in East Tennessee. Republicanism is in the soil there, in the water. But so is independence. Kent Williams can sell himself in East Tennessee as the Independent Republican who did what he thought was right but got kicked out by an angry, ideological party hijacked by the religious right.
You can market that image to East Tennesseans. Not the activists, but your average voter will buy that. If he is painted the betrayer, the sellout who got elected as a Republican only to then vote with the Democrats, become speaker and then leave the party, that is an image he cannot sell.
Yes, Williams needs to an independent. It is in his interest. What is also important, however, is how he gets there and for a Carter Countian to leave the Republican Party under these circumstances is not a place Kent Williams wants to be if he can avoid it.
He wants to get kicked out. He needs to get kicked out. And on February 9th, the party will likely oblige him.
Comments
21 Responses to “Better For Whom?”
I do like when Kleinheider throws in a little editorializing now and then. I hear ole Grantham suggested this variation in conjunction with the quick updates.
However… it’s “whom” not “who.”
Haha.
- Matthew
Either an Independent or an independent spirit both work well in ET. Personality/character matters a lot here and not necessarily in judeo-republican sense. Stand tall and true to your beliefs and East Tennesseans respect that and will vote for you even if they don’t believe the same way or hold diametrically opposed views to their own. If you’re wishy-washy on your beliefs — it doesn’t matter what those beliefs are — then you’re considered suspect. Show you’re a real fighter for the people and ideology matters not one bit. As strange as it might sound on the surface, a true blue Jacksonian Liberal could move mountains here in ET. Otherwise it’s GOP by default.
Williams could most certainly win by going independent or independent republican. That said, I think you’re right that the easier route for him is to force their hand so he can further assert his image as an independent fighter.
I agree with Jen. This party label rigmarole is silly, inside baseball bullshit. Principles matter. From what I’ve seen, Wiliams is pro-Second Amendment and pro-low taxes. That’s good enough for me. Let’s move on. Get over the fact that Williams pulled the rug out from under Mumpower and get to business.
Wiiliams should stay in the party, if they will let him.
They want him to pull out of the party, because that action will be read, and will be delivered by the TNGOP, that Williams broke with the party on the “important things.”
Isn’t that what happened to Mike Williams? He never overcame how the TNGOP presented his break.
If Williams believes in his heart he is a Republican, he should fight to stay in.
Smith runs the TNGOP like a secret society. “Taking oaths” and “signing pledges” shows how little confidence that group has in the strength of their arguments. The state party is built on back room deals and cronyism.
If he breaks with the party, they’ll get all their loyal supporters in Carter County who believe that if you don’t vote for the candidate with the “R” after his name, you won’t go to heaven. And it will be all over.
Williams should stay in the party and try to change it, before it’s too late…for the party.
That was well said about Carter Co. They are not going to elect somebody else just because of an R next to their name. My bigger question is “why kick him out?” What did he do? Lie? Break his word? If we start kicking people out of the republican party for that then whose going to be left to turn the lights off?
Rep. Williams did lie and he did sign a paper of his own free will saying he would vote for Republicans when in fact, he did vote for a democrat for Speaker Pro Tempore. In addition there is that sexual harassment problem. Many voters in Carter County and elswhere would never approve of such behavior and would not want their elected officials behaving in this manner.
Davy, you are complaining about Robin Smith? What about the backroom deal to get Williams elected Speaker with only democrats’ support? You really think that was above board? That deal was cut by Odom and Williams over Thanksgiving. Ms. Smith asked legislators to sign a pledge because the activists were concerned about loyalty within the Republican ranks. She did her job. If Mr. Williams was forced by Ms. Smith to sign that pledge, he is a very weak man.
Kent Williams WILL be re-elected in Carter County regardless of his party status. With an 81% approval rating, who will they find that can beat him? The TNGOP would be better off to make friends and keep their majority. If they kick him out, then we’ll know that they don’t care about having the majority, only having pawns in place to do their bidding. That’s why they don’t like him now, because he WON’T do what they tell him to do. They’ve used this to try to obtain funding long enough. How much funding do you think Williams will receive as an Independent that can be the deciding vote on ANY sub-committee or committee for the next two years? Thank God we have Michael Steele on the National level. Too bad the TNGOP doesn’t follow the National lead and use some common sense. I’ll be surprised if the Democrats do not take back the house and the senate in 2010 simply because they are sick of listening to the Republicans whine. Sure they’d like him to quit, but it’s not going to happen. It looks like two Carter County boys outsmarted the whole bunch to me.
First of all. Robin Smith did not ask anyone to sign a pledge. That was done within the House GOP caucus because of the Naifeh Nine (7, no 6, no 5 whatever they are down to now). The only poll going on in Carter County regarding Speaker Williams is a free for all poll in the local paper–hardly a 81% approval rating. One minute Williams is stating in the press he will gladly leave the GOP if the State party asks him to do so, the next minute he is stating he will never leave the GOP even if asked.
This guy has serious issues–everyone knows it. He can’t handle the pressure. The woodwork is crawling with waitresses wanting to come forward with blasts from the past at his resturant, just check the local message boards and blogs in Carter county.
The sad thing is this poor guy is getting used by the Democrats and hated by his party for it. Kent doesn’t even see it because he wants to be liked so much by everybody. When Odum is done with him, he will be done. Sad, sad, sad.
“This guy has serious issues–everyone knows it. He can’t handle the pressure. The woodwork is crawling with waitresses wanting to come forward with blasts from the past at his resturant, just check the local message boards and blogs in Carter county.”
Why weren’t official complaints filed? In the Lynn case or others? Are others in the state Republican legislature clean or just haven’t been investigated?
The House Republicans could have pulled some Democratic votes over, but their Smith, Hobbs, Campfield Field Manual doesn’t allow fraternization with the “enemy,” so they had NO support among Democrats, that’s what’s sad.
But their entire strategy is not about solving problems, it’s about finding divisive issues that they can grandstand on.
The state Senate can work together to deal with the economic crisis. The House, I doubt it.
It’s beyond their capacity to understand it, and even with such Christians as Bill Dunn and Stacey Campfield, it’s probably beyond their capacity of compassion.
Leftie,
I’m sorry but you don’t know what you are talking about. I bet if you ever owned a business you would have some disgruntled past employees also. I don’t know of a business in the world that doesn’t. That has nothing to do with his ability to effectively govern. If you knew him at all, you would know that NO ONE uses him, not Odom, or any of the Democrats nor any Republicans. Why do you think the Republicans want rid of him? Simply because they can’t USE him either. Why do you think the Democrats wanted him? Because they knew he was a better choice to get their districts representation. You also have no clue as to how he handles pressure. If you think your opinion of him is pressure, as well as the Republican Caucus, it’s obvious you are just listening to their propaganda.
The personal attacks are nothing but childish attempts to discredit a man that is giving Tennesseans an opportunity to all have representation regardless of party affiliation. All 99 districts voices deserve a chance to be heard. This is the first time that is going to happen. Why does the 50 republican districts have the right to shove their ideas down the other 49 districts throats? As for Williams being done, don’t count your chickens before they hatch. That mistake has already been made once. For the good of Tennesseans everywhere, you’d better hope he isn’t.
Williams may have some support, but he’s also been found out to be a womanizer. If he has a wife, every time she comes out someone will be asking why she stays with a man that’s obviously cheating on her. They’ll smear him alright, and just think, there’s still a year and a half to gather muck to throw at this guy. Bottom line is he’s not working for the best interest of the people- he’s working for the best interest of himself (and Naifeh).
” Bottom line is he’s not working for the best interest of the people- he’s working for the best interest of himself (and Naifeh).”
This description applies to any Republican House member if you substitute Robin Smith for Naifeh.
I have never seen a party leader who has so much control over supposed “representatives of the people.”
Kleinheider, have you ever BEEN to Carter County? Do you know a person who lives there? Talked to any?
Until you can answer yes to those questions, don’t presume to say Williams can’t win as a Republican. Carter County has never had a Speaker before, and isn’t likely to have one again. Voting Williams out may be in the best interests of a lot of Republicans, but it would assuredly not be in the interests of the good citizens of Roan Mountain, Hampton, and Elizabethton as long as he’s Speaker. Which he will be come re-election time.
Because until the King is dead, he’s still the King.
This political bickering does not serve Ramsey or any of the politicians well. They would be better off just dealing with the situation and moving on.
“This political bickering does not serve Ramsey or any of the politicians well. They would be better off just dealing with the situation and moving on.”
Of course, if I had my choice between dealing with a
$1 billion deficit (even with such ignoramuses as Dunn, Maggart, Campfield, and Lynn on my side) or be involved in an insider political dispute, I’d take the political dispute.
IMHO, I think Kent Williams is a good person and will be a GREAT SPEAKER. He votes for what he feels is right, for his county, for his constituents and not “just because”. He voted Republican for Speaker (even if it was himself - he is a republican afterall)…just not on the ProTem…he voted for who he thought would do the better job, and he was right on that too. The republican caucus is just pissy cause he didnt vote for Mumpower. The “pledge” they all signed only asked them to vote Republican and NOT for a specific person…they all just ASSUMED the republicans would vote for Mumpower/McDaniel. If they wanted them to vote that way, then they should have stated it in the pledge. But funny how they didnt nominate McDaniel after Mumpower got dissed. Wasnt McDaniel worthy without Mumpower? The republicans decided to go back and “replan” and came up with Harwell??? Why because the Dems nominated a woman?? And Williams was not the ONLY republican in the “Naifeh 7″ club. DUH! Can you imagine how Mumpower would be if he’d won? We see how he is at losing…poor sport and gets Kelsey to do his “dirty work” for him in public.
And as far as his “harassment”….funny how that was so downplayed 2 YEARS AGO….so WHY is it an issue now..2 years later? Lynn hasn’t minded staying in the same “political circles” as Williams since the alleged incident…so why is it NOW such a problem??? And releasing “CONFIDENTIAL” papers in a harassement case, just because the media ask for it?? PLEASE. And they wonder why people are afraid to file harassment cases to start with…for this very reason…nothing is kept confidential. NOTHING. Thankfully the ETHICS committee saw thru this game (which is truly amazing! For once they did the right thing).
I say…HOORAH FOR WILLIAMS!! Stand firm in your beliefs and stand TALL my friend. Vote for the right thing and cut the political party crap. And the people of Carter County WILL take notice and keep you. Why would they want anything else? Both parties are showing their TRUE colors and if they dont see that now..they never will.
Something that no one has mentioned…
Why is Ramsey pushing this story out today?
Remember, the TN Republican Executive Committee is supposed to vote on Monday whether or not to kick Williams out of the party. Why pressure him to voluntarily get out now, rather than just wait until Monday.
My guess is either they don’t have the votes to do it, or some money people in the GOP are threatening action if they actually kick Williams out.
It would be great to see Kleinheider or Woods ask Ramsey about this.
Ramsey wants to be able to call Williams a quitter. If Williams walks away from the republican party, then they’ll say he was never a republican. It’s my understanding that Williams’ 92 year old Dad is and always has been a republican and you would know that by seeing all of his republican souvenirs & membership cards inside their home. I haven’t seen it but I got it from a good source that has been in their home many times over many years. I can’t imagine Williams being raised in that atmosphere and not being a republican. I also heard that for years their home was a stopping place for political visits from Quillen, Alexander, Thompson, Gov. Dunn and many more. Ramsey just can’t stand it because his ‘echo boy’ didn’t get the win so Ramsey won’t be able to control both the senate & the house. I’m glad Ramsey doesn’t have a chance being elected as governor. He’ll be lucky to keep his seat in the senate from what I’m hearing out of Sullivan County.
Oh and Sara, Williams has been married for more than 40 years. I think his wife knows him a helluva lot better than you or your gossip mongers. As far as being a womanizer, I’d like to know your definition of that. Maybe we could call someone such as George Clooney a womanizer but Kent Williams? No comparison for any woman that isn’t blind (or so my wife tells me).
[...] deal with new Republican Speaker of the House Kent Williams, who just yesterday, Ramsey said should leave the GOP or get kicked out. The blood between them has been bad and it isn’t getting better. The discord is probably [...]
I am proudly from Carter County. Let me fill you in on some things a few of you are obviously ignorant of and, therefore, should not be spewing. First of all, the “message boards” and “blogs” that are supposed to be full of people talking about waitresses who were “harassed” are actually full of the Mumpower mafia having their jollies. Just like last election. Same tall tales, same venom, same people. Some of these people have several usernames and have one goal - to get rid of Williams because he will not play their games. We all knew about their blogs, etc. and didn’t pay attention to them last time, either because we are all on to them.
See, this is a small community and most everyone knows Speaker Williams. We have known him for years and have seen him at work for us. Actions speak so much louder than Mumpower’s weak words. Mumpower and his cronies (including Jerome Cochran) should remember this when they come back to Carter County to butt into our election: “You can fool some people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time”. Yes, the Speaker DOES have an 81 percent approval rating and it will only get higher here as certain people persist in their threats of throwing money and Republican influence around trying to defeat him. As I have read more than one Carter Countian to say, “We can’t be bought and we will not forget all the lies WE were told by the Mumpower Mafia during the last election.
Funny how that bunch’s priorities are so mixed up. It’s ok for them to lie to US about the character of another candidate (Williams) and it’s ok for them to lie TO Williams in order to get his vote for Mumpower to be Speaker (they conveniently “forgot” to tell everyone about that), and it’s even ok for Mumpower to lie and say he wasn’t planning to take away the jobs of many staffers in Nashville. But, lets see, it’s NOT ok for Speaker Williams to change his mind when he realized he was being played and lied to by THEM?
One other thing, has anyone checked to see if Rep. Lynn has filed any other complaints against other men in her past few years in Nashville? Gee, I forgot, though. Even if she has, no one can comment on allegations or cases, even if no fault was ever determined. No one can comment even if one person purported a situation to have happened in a certain way, yet the other person never intended the situation to be interpreted that way. I often think this may have been the case between Williams and Lynn.
No one can believe that the Rep. Caucus actually did something like print up that agreement of theirs without getting the approval of Robin Smith, do you? Get real! Williams never said he wouldn’t leave the party if asked. He said he would leave if asked. But they will have to ask him first and I don’t blame him. It needs to be a matter of record. That’s what Ramsey was doing when he talked to Williams a couple days ago. He was trying to get the Speaker to leave so the Party wouldn’t look so bad. They know they have awoken a giant in Carter County by threatening to come here and spread their crap around.
I guess they’ve been doing their homework about us and our past. Why do they think we elected Speaker Williams? He’s just like most of us. He will not be told what to do by ANYONE except the people who elected him. Anybody who knows him will tell you he has always been that way. We won’t be voting for him again because he’s the Speaker. We will be voting for him becaus we know he will do his job.
AS for his wife, she’s a strong, graceful, beautiful woman who is many classes above some people commenting about her on this page. One other note to the Party, I have been hearing a lot of buzz about many people in Carter County crossing over to vote Indepent for Williams if need be. A lot of them have had it with the party’s “clubhouse rules” and may even be leaving to join an independent Party of their own. I’m like them, I want people in government who will think of us before they think of their Party frat houses.