Who Is The ‘Tea Party’ Candidate For Governor?
If you’d think that the self-appointed leader of tea partiers in Nashville wouldn’t want to predict the preferences of a large, diverse and centralized movement, you be wrong:
“We plan to be very involved in the governor’s race,” says Phillips, adding that they’ll be using the group’s Internet presence as well as its media-friendly rallies to help get out the conservative vote. “I’m not sure that we will be making any formal endorsements, but I think you’ll see that our group will probably gravitate toward a particular candidate.”
He’s not sure who that candidate will be quite yet, though he has a feeling it will be Ramsey, who recently has joined in two Tea Party-approved efforts: the state sovereignty movement and the Tennessee Firearms Freedom movement. Both are based on legislation passed by the State General Assembly this session. Both seek to limit federal power in the state.
“I think he got a lot of capital with conservatives for that,” says Phillips, who has also seen significant support for Gibbons (though Phillips is not sure about his position on gun rights) and Wamp (who, Phillips believes, is being insincere in his appeals to conservatives) among members of the far-right.
“What I’m hearing is that Bill Haslam is considered to be a Republican in Name Only, a RiNO,” Phillips says, citing his involvement with the Bloomberg group (and subsequent “flip-flop”) and his political connection to Alexander (along with whom Haslam just got behind State House Speaker Kent Williams’ bid to rejoin the Tennessee GOP after being ousted for conspiring with House Democrats).
Carter County Commission Wants Kent Williams Back In The Party
Tom Humphrey reports:
Meanwhile, the Carter County Commission has approved on voice vote the drafting of a letter to GOP officials requesting that Williams be reinstated to the Republican party, according to the Elizabethton Star as part of a lengthy story on commission doings.
Should Kent Williams Be Welcomed Back Into The Republican Party
Folks who read his hometown paper think so. What about you?
Loading ...Essay question for Democrats: If the Kent Williams had been a Democrat who became speaker with the votes of 49 Republicans would you feel the same?
Speaker Williams Earned The Scorn Republicans Give Him
The Kingsport Times-News weighs in on whether Kent Williams should be a Republican again:
Indeed, it is Williams who unaccountably continues to affect an air of victimhood for being shunned by the colleagues he betrayed.
His conduct reminds of the story about the boy who murdered his parents, then threw himself on the mercy of the court as an orphan.
Rep. Williams has already bartered away the trust once placed in him when he cynically plotted to advance his personal political standing at the expense of his colleagues and the Republican constituents who elected him.
It’s exceedingly clear that the only allegiance Kent Williams has is to himself.
Some Tennessee Republicans may be inclined to forgive or ignore Rep. Williams’ duplicity in the past in exchange for his vote in a closely divided House. But they need to know that by doing so they are not merely excusing bad behavior, but elevating expediency over experience.
Corker Was Right To Stay Out Of The Williams Situation
David Oatney gives the junior senator big ups:
The best course of action for non-legislative elected officials in the Kent Williams affair is to stay out of it. Williams’ status as the Representative from Carter County is not in question, and for at least one more year, neither is his position as Speaker of the House. Whether he can run as a Republican or not is a matter for the political party with which he wishes to affiliate to decide through its State organization. Yes, the people may influence the organization because Executive Committee members are elected in primaries, but it shouldn’t be a matter up to elected officials in other strata of government other than where their status as ordinary voting citizens and party members.
As party members, we all have the right to influence the Executive Committee, but the best thing that Bob Corker could have said is precisely what he did say in this situation-not very much.
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Corker Doesn’t Want Anywhere Near The Kent Williams Controversy
Hank Hayes reports on Sen. Corker’s reaction to a question on whether Speaker Kent Williams should be allowed back into the Republican Party:
The question that came from an audience member was: Tennessee House Speaker Kent Williams was elected as a Republican from this community, so what can you do to convince the Tennessee Republican Party to restore his “bona fide” GOP affiliation?
Corker’s response: “Nothing.”
“Kent is a friend of mine,” Corker continued. “People on the other side of this issue are friends of mine. This is a local and state issue. … I got more fish than I can fry now. I’m going to let you guys figure all this out.”
Cagle To GOP: Stop Shooting Yourselves In The Foot
Columnist calls for Kent Williams to be a Republican again:
The state Republican executive committee meets Dec. 5. They could rescind Williams’ ouster and let him run as a Republican. Or they can leave it as is. They can side with gubernatorial candidates, U.S. Senators, and a majority of the House Republican caucus and let Williams back in. Or they can side with Robin Smith, who is no longer at the party, and the Keystone Kops who continue toe target practice.
If Kent Williams Is Allowed To Be A Tennessee Republican, Then the Term Has No Meaning
At least, that’s kind of how David Oatney feels about it:
If Kent Williams is allowed to run as a Republican without having paid any consequences for what he did to become Speaker, that says to others that there are simply no teeth in party rules, or that we will simply bail on our leaders when we do not agree with them. That is not a message of true unity.
Getting The Legislature Out In A Jif
The leaders are working on making the next session a quick one. From the Tennessee Journal:
Speaker Kent Williams (R*-Elizabethton) met with committee chairmen and other House leaders Wednesday to discuss a timetable for shutting down committees.
The goal is to end the session in April or at the latest early May. Of course, early May also was an initial goal in the 2009 session, which ended June 18…
…Crucial to chances for a short session will be the consideration of Gov. Phil Bredesen’s budget. The proposal won’t be pretty. It likely will include layoffs. But unless someone comes up with a better idea, senior lawmakers will want it viewed as Bredesen’s plan rather than theirs and passed early, so they can get back to their districts.
In the House, to speed things along, several rules changes are being considered, including one to cut down on “special presentations” on the House floor — which this year included such things as gospel music performances, recognition of youth sports teams, an appearance by the Mule Day queen, and a cheerleading routine by a high school squad, complete with a girl tossed in the air. Another idea is to limit the number of bills members can file.
Lamar Will Attend Fundraiser For Speaker Kent Williams’s PAC
Andy Sher with the breaker:
Sen. Alexander “is an invited guest and is not a contributor,” said Mike Alder, a Republican activist involved in the Williams fundraiser. “We are all very pleased he is coming and this underlines the Speaker’s determination to strengthen our Republican majority.”
SEE ALSO: Humphrey
The Bizzaro World Of Tennessee Politics
From Metro Pulse:
[Kent] Williams became speaker with votes from Democrats and has been cast out of the state Republican Party. But, in bizarro world, he is hosting a fund-raiser in Knoxville on Friday with Republican caucus members as co-hosts to raise money for Republican legislative candidates. Running against the Democrats who voted for him. To elect members of the party that refuses to let him be a member.
Legislators Love Kent Williams’ Republican Majority
What Will The House Radicals Moving To The Senate Mean For Kent Williams?
Well, it’s probably not a bad thing:
One of Kent Williams’ loudest opponents from the very beginning of his tenure as Speaker has been Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown), who challenged Williams to resign after he was made Speaker since he was seen to have betrayed the Republican Caucus and its leadership. On the floor of the House, Kelsey said Williams should “resign and run again as a Democrat or an independent.” Kelsey also pressed sexual harassment charges against the Speaker for an incident involving Rep. Susan Lynn in the previous General Assembly. Kelsey is moving to the Senate, however, and Susan Lynn, Stacey Campfield, and Mike Bell are all trying to move into Senate seats and will not serve in the next House. With Kent Williams’ most firm Republican opponents gone from the House in the 107th General Assembly, can Williams find a way to survive?
Marsh Stoked About His Swearing In
From the Shelbyville Times-Gazette:
“I’m excited,” said Marsh about the swearing-in ceremony. “It’s a huge event.” He said he expects about 30 family members and friends to attend the 10 a.m. ceremony, which will be held in the House chambers. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Bill Koch will swear Marsh in. There will then be a quick tour of the Capitol and the Legislative Plaza for Marsh’s guests, and Marsh will need to be done by 1 p.m. so that he can attend an orientation session Monday afternoon.
Marsh said Friday he still doesn’t know his office assignment or office telephone number at the Legislative Plaza, nor does he know where he will sit on the House floor. However, during his tour on Thursday he noted that his name has already been added to the electronic display board where House votes are registered.
“It’s a whole new world for us,” he said.
Marsh said he’s been in contact with House Speaker Kent Williams about various arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony.
“Since the election, it really hasn’t slowed down at all,” he said.
He may, though have some time to prepare and enjoy the holidays. The General Assembly won’t come back into session until the second Tuesday in January. Between January and May, the House will convene at 5 p.m. each Monday and recess for the weekend at about noon Thursday.
Marsh To Be Sworn In Monday
From a media advisory:
Pat Marsh (R-Shelbyville) will officially become a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives on Monday. Speaker of the House Kent Williams announces the swearing in ceremony for Pat Marsh taking place on Monday, October 26 at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony will be conducted in the chamber of the Tennessee House of Representatives (2nd floor, State Capitol). The Honorable Bill Koch, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice will conduct the swearing in.
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Figure It Out
More comments from Chris Devaney on how Kent Williams can get back into the Republican Party:
“Kent Williams figured out how to become speaker of the House,” Mr. Devaney told the Hamilton County Pachyderm Club. “He can figure out how to get back into the Republican Party.”
In January, Rep. Williams, R-Elizabethton, voted with 49 Democrats and against 49 other Republicans to get himself elected House speaker. In February, then-party chairwoman Robin Smith and the GOP executive committee barred Rep. Williams from running again as a Republican.
Mr. Devaney told the local Republican group that Rep. Williams must do an assortment of things — not just raise money for 2010 candidates — to regain the party’s favor, but didn’t specify what those were. He said the decision is up to the state executive committee.
Rep. Williams said Monday he’s not exactly sure what he can do to get back into the party but if he doesn’t, “It’s not the end of the world.” He said he knows he is a Republican whether the state party acknowledges it or not.
Devaney: Kent Williams Has A Long Road Back
From Matt Wilson:
Chris Devaney, chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, said Monday that state House Speaker Kent Williams has a long way to go to get back into the state GOP.
Speaking to the Hamilton County Pachyderm Club Monday, Mr. Devaney said he couldn’t specifically state what Rep. Williams, R-Elizabethton, could do to win the party’s favor back, but noted it couldn’t just be one act such as raising money for 2010 legislative campaigns.
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Marsh Victory To Change Balance Of Key Committees
From Tom Humphrey:
The overall Republican majority in the state House changes from 50-49 to 51-48 because of the election. That, in turn, will transform the delicate partisan balance House Speaker Kent Williams had established in House committees.
Republicans now will have a one-vote advantage on two committees that previously were equally balanced. Former Rep. Cobb sat on the Commerce and Health committees, both with an equal number of Republicans and Democrats. Williams said last week that he hopes to put Marsh, a trucking company owner, on the Transportation Committee, also equally balanced.
The addition of Republican Marsh to the partisan mix also will mean new Republican majorities on at least a couple of subcommittees. The upshot is that the handful of bills resulting in tie votes in the committee system during the 2009 legislative session could tilt to the GOP in 2010.
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