feed icon

Speaker Williams Intends To Be Around Awhile

By Kleinheider Posted on March 29, 2009 at 1:42 pm

The Speaker of the House talks about the legislature and his reelection plans at a Carter County legislative breakfast:

Williams, who afterward was stripped of his party affiliation by Tennessee Republican Party Chairwoman Robin Smith, did not mention Mumpower, whose seat at the front table remained vacant.

“I know I’m going to have some challenges,” Williams said. “I’ve had a couple of problems with my own party, but we’re getting those ironed out. We just have a small minority, I think, here in Carter County that would rather see someone out of Nashville tell us what to do in Carter County than to have our own down there. But like I said, that’s a small minority, and I think in 2010 in November we’ll show what a small minority that is.”

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey of Blountville, who supported Mumpower, told the crowd he is working well with Williams.

“The speaker of the House and the speaker of the Senate have to work together — period,” Ramsey said after getting a partial standing ovation.

SEE ALSO:
Commentary on the Mumpower noshow

permalink

Tags: , , , ,  

Comments

4 Responses to “Speaker Williams Intends To Be Around Awhile”

  1. Dave writes
    April 1st, 2009 9:36 pm

    Ron Ramsey got NO standing ovation. Everyone there knew the ovation was for Speaker Williams and was the crowds’ message to Crowe and Ramsey that they have picked the wrong crowd to run with. Their treatment of Williams is not appreciated here - and neither are they after all they have pulled in Carter County. How quick they are to ride Speaker Williams’ coattails when they need to. Ramsey realizes he may have cost himself the Governorship by treating the Speaker the way he has in the last couple years. Same for Crowe. The best thing they can do is keep their mouths shut from now on.

  2. Timothy Whiston writes
    April 12th, 2009 3:15 pm

    Williams certainly got my attention earlier this year. Hilarious that many conservatives are still calling him “traitor” but it seems clear to me this man is a potential innovator.

    CLEARLY state and federal government is in bad need of change. Look at the last 100 years for goodness sake! And the “shake up” Williams led in January is, I believe, one example of forward progress.

    It is my sincere hope that other politicians will be encouraged by what Williams did to the chagrin of his own party. Constituents indeed should be put before the needs any party to remain unified on platforms that may or may not serve the people.

    I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this guy. And I look forward to seeing what else he and his supporters have in mind over the next couple of years.

  3. dontcallmemikey writes
    April 12th, 2009 5:01 pm

    “Constituents indeed should be put before the needs any party…”
    And on that basis alone, Williams is successful. Carter Co. is NOT going to vote Williams out of office for a Ramsey/Mumpower sock puppet.

    TN Republicans have taken an odd road, trying to p.o. upper East Tennesseans. Perhaps they think they have the region in their pockets - wouldn’t be so sure …

    Same for Democrats, btw … they’ve forgotten there IS an East TN; look for an independent, moderate East TN group to make some inroads for disgruntled Dems & Repubs …

  4. Elmer Gantry writes
    May 3rd, 2009 11:54 am

    I am observing that Speaker Williams’ bloom has already began to fade with many of the so-called “crossover” Democrats in Carter County, due in large part to their perception of TN GOP “Dark Ages” social agenda that Williams is activiely pushing within the TNGA House of Representatives…

    Contrary to an online Johnson City Press weekly poll several weeks back placing Speaker Williams with an 84% approval over the Tennessee Republican Party outser of Williams from the TRP, I am now thinking that Williams will have a extremely tough time in even capturing a simple majority of all Carter County voters - crossover Democrats and everyday GOPers - during the next Republican Primary if this trend bears out through 2010.

    Rep. Jason Mumpowerless: No-Show @ Elizabethton CofC breakfast - Topix Elizabethton
    http://www.topix.com/forum/city/elizabethton-tn/TRGPIGVPS2CAI5JBN

Leave a Reply




Partly Cloudy

The Collective

The Latest from NashvillePost.com

Archives