Should Kent Williams Be Welcomed Back Into The Republican Party

21 Responses to “Should Kent Williams Be Welcomed Back Into The Republican Party”

1. dontcallmemikey writes
   November 17th, 2009 3:44 pm

   Absolutely - because, unlike the lockstep GOP, we would have been smart enough to figure out that he was gonna vote Democrat most of the time; the GOP is too lockstep to recognize they got everything they could have expected with Williams they would have gotten with Spidey … and a whole lot easier.

2. black community writes
   November 17th, 2009 3:49 pm

   Why does the GOP here in TN keep wanting to ouster this guy? And who do they want as speaker as a leader? Jason Mumpower, Stacey Campfield? I don’t think that’s the leadership they want to portray around the state.

3. Carter writes
   November 17th, 2009 3:54 pm

   If the GOP pick up another seat or two cushion, my money is on Beth Harwell or Steve McDaniel to be speaker

4. Davy writes
   November 17th, 2009 3:57 pm

   “I don’t think that’s the leadership they want to portray around the state.”

   Oh, if they think it will translate into votes, they don’t care how they’re portrayed.

   You haven’t forgotten their former leader, Robin Smith, have you?

5. black community writes
   November 17th, 2009 3:58 pm

   That’s just as bad as the two i stated before. But maybe not as bad as Tennessee’s very own birther Glen Casada.

6. Steve Steffens (LWC) writes
   November 17th, 2009 4:15 pm

   Um, anyone ever hear of John Wilder? Most of you don’t remember how he lost the Senate Democratic Caucus vote in the late 80s, had enough Democrats combined with many republican Senators to stay on as Speaker. We know all too well what can happen.

7. Jackson Dave writes
   November 17th, 2009 4:30 pm

   Is that Speaker “Mr. Income Tax” McDaniel?

   Or, Speaker “I can’t make a decision” Harwell?

8. Jim writes
   November 17th, 2009 4:44 pm

   Check this link. It appears it is not Williams home town newspaper poll, but actually Mumpower’s home town of Kingsport.

9. Mike writes
   November 17th, 2009 5:36 pm

   And the poll was after the editorial by Mumpower’s hometown paper likening what Kent did to a child murdering his parents. I would say what he did is more like a parent spanking an unruly child.

   Maybe Mumpower threatened another “leadership” letter reprimanding the paper for supporting his idea of non Republicans?

   What happened to that letter anyway? Sent yet?

10. serr8d writes
    November 17th, 2009 6:42 pm

    Here’s a stat for you: 51% of Republicans would rather lose an election than win with a RINO. I’m definitely in that camp.

    Let Williams hook up with Dede Scozzafava; they can share turncoat stories. Dede screwed the National Republicans out of $1M; how much did Williams cost the local TN GOP?

    Sure, let him back in. After he repays all the monies spent by the TN GOP to get him elected in the first place. Plus interest.

    I wouldn’t trust Williams under any circumstance. He’s a liar and a coward, and easily manipulated by the Dems. The local GOP should make an object lesson of him…defeat him at any cost.

11. Rick writes
    November 17th, 2009 7:20 pm

    The local GOP has rarely spent a dime on getting anyone elected. They may give them $500.00 every other election year but that’s it. Try reading up serr8d on your contributions before you open your mouth just to put your foot into it again. After all, all campaign donations are online for every state & federal candidate. And a coward? What planet are you from? You can’t find three cowards in Carter County. Come on up and see for yourself.

12. Rick writes
    November 17th, 2009 7:23 pm

    Jim: You are correct. The newspaper with the poll is in Sullivan County, Mumpower’s POWER base, not Carter County who Williams represents. Since this is about their 3rd poll, you’d think they would get the message. East Tennessee backs Williams, not Mumpower.

13. Cal writes
    November 18th, 2009 3:05 am

    Welcomed back? He never should have been removed by Smith in the first place. Kicking him out is no one’s right to do but the people who elected him in Carter County. Not someone who hasn’t even talked to the man.

14. dontcallmemikey writes
    November 18th, 2009 5:36 am

    I love how, in their blind loyalty to Kent Williams, the GOP lunatics have questioned the character, loyalty and intelligence of one of the most solid Republican counties in the state - not once but many times. It points out how little respect GOP leadership has for its constituents, and how little sense they have to deliberately piss off a large group of people who’s only crime was voting for the ‘wrong’ Republican; voting for who they wanted - and trusted - over the person the auctioneer and the comic book kid wanted them to vote for.

15. serr8d writes
    November 18th, 2009 6:01 am

    OK, then, Rick, you jack’s ass, let’s say the local GOP gave less than $500 to Williams (what you said). How much money did he get from various PAC’s based on his projected GOP credentials? Those credentials he turned his back on in a cowardly about-face, giving the TN GOP a slap in the face? I’ll expand my first comment to include all monies donated to Kent Williams by individuals, PACs and other sources who wish they had their monies back.

    The TN GOP should recall Michael Steels’s biting commentary…
    

    “Kent Williams betrayed every Republican in this state,” Steele said. “Your chairwoman (Smith) immediately said ‘We’re going to get this thing worked out right.’ You don’t have to ever worry about people forgetting that (Williams) name again, because I can tell you one thing, when 1,172,000 people vote the Republican Party to control the state legislature and one man takes it away from them, I got a bull’s eye right on his back, and we’re taking him out. I want you to know we’ve got our targets, too.

    “We remember those who serve well, but we also remember those especially who turn their backs on the party, who snatch victory away, not from the party, but from the people. So let the message go out — we come to play, we play hard and we intend to win, completely.”

    Let the bastiche twist in the wind. As an independent.

16. serr8d writes
    November 18th, 2009 6:21 am

    Looks like Kent Williams only scored $1210 from Republican Party Committees in 2008, $1750 from Republican Officials, candidates and former members, out of $71K total. That’s not much money.

    But more than he deserved.

    How many of those listed donors want their cash back?

17. serr8d writes
    November 18th, 2009 6:25 am

    Heh. He took $1000 from a Democrat.

    And what, pray tell, is “Conservative/Republican under reporting threshold $4,895.00″ I wonder?

18. serr8d writes
    November 18th, 2009 6:32 am

    Well, $1000 total from 3 Democrats; Harry Tindell, John Litz and Philip Pinion. Interesting to note that Williams was the only Republican who got cash from those three big spenders. They must be proud of that what they bought.

19. IM Russell writes
    November 18th, 2009 9:31 am

    I think everyone is missing some of the key points of this debate and how it originally happened.

    1). Kent Williams fudged/lied/misrepresented himself to his entire caucus when the Speaker vote occured.

    2). Kent Williams had only served one term in the state legislature and received the Speakership not by proven leadership but because he was the weakest leak in the game.

    Now I know that everyone thinks that politics is a game of brute force, snakey back room dealings and blatant self interest…well this type of behavior by Kent Williams personified it exactly.

    The platform the state GOP ran on in 2008 (and won on) was one that reflected change in the “business as usual” politics that had been occuring under Naifeh’s thug rule. If the GOP State Executive Committee (voted on by the GOP constituency of each Senate district) allowed that type of man to continue to be a Republican then their own constituency would remove them as well.

    I would prefer personal integrity over political expediency any day of the week.

20. Mike writes
    November 18th, 2009 1:00 pm

    Carter County Republicans are clear on who they want to be THEIR state representative. The Carter County Commission just voted with only one dissenter by resolution to urge reinstatement of Kent Williams. Kent Williams PAC to assist Republican candidates and his own contributions to newly elected Republican Pat Marsh are many times what any GOP group or PAC has ever contributed to his elections. Mainly because his elections have always been in a primary and most GOP groups steer clear from primary squabbles, which unfortunately the GOP state executive committee has chosen to do.

21. Mike writes
    November 18th, 2009 2:30 pm

    IM Russell:

    “The platform the state GOP ran on in 2008 (and won on) was one that reflected change in the “business as usual” politics that had been occuring under Naifeh’s thug rule.”

    Which is exactly what Jason Mumpower planned to do, Republicans in every chairmanship and wholesale firings because of party affiliation. GOP thuggery is no more picturesque than Democrat thuggery. The only other Republican Speaker, former Speaker, Judge and Congressman Bill Jenkins shared power upon his election in a tight majority with Democrats. I respect your arguments on the method employed, but not the result.