What’s Robin Got To Do With It?
Posted on February 9, 2009 at 1:43 amR. Neal mentioned over the weekend that Michael Silence had the scoop on the decision Robin Smith has made regarding whether or not to allow Speaker Kent Williams to remain in the Republican Party, a decision that will be announced not too many hours from now.
Of course, the tea leaves have been pretty easy to read on where Robin Smith’s head is at regarding Williams and no recent events or interventions have seemed to sway her mind much.
My question is: what does it matter? What does it really matter what Robin Smith does? Of course, it will matter in 2010 when Williams is unable to gain access to a Republican primary ballot but what about before that? The talk, the assumption, is that if Williams is kicked out of the Republican Party the Republicans lose their numerical majority in the state House.
Yes, I suppose after this morning’s announcement the house will be comprised of 49 Republicans, 49 Democrats, and Kent Williams. But what difference does that actually make?
It is, after all, the membership of the Republican caucus which makes “the party” the majority or the minority. A Republican caucus member, unless I am mistaken, could be from any party. Bernie Sanders, a U.S. Senator from Vermont, is an independent yet always caucuses with the Democratic Party.
So it would seem membership in the caucus, not membership in the party is what determines who holds the majority. Speaker Williams has not been to a Republican caucus meeting since his election as speaker, this is true. But, as far as Post Politics knows, Williams has neither renounced his membership in the Republican caucus nor has official action been taken by the caucus to expel him.
So if Kent Williams is expelled from the Republican Party this morning does this mean that the Leader of the Republican Caucus in the House is no longer the Majority Leader? Does the status quo in the legislature really change?
I don’t think that can be said until Williams either leaves the caucus or the caucus expels him.
Neither of which, have anything to do with Robin Smith.
