Odom In The Wind After Colleagues Question His Role In Williams Coup

By Kleinheider Posted on February 26, 2009 at 12:06 pm

Jeff Woods reports:

House Democratic leader Gary Odom, who would normally break an arm to jump in front of a camera, failed to show today for his party caucus’ weekly news conference. He had an appointment that he just had to keep, his top minion, Skip Cauthorn, told the press.

PREVIOUSLY:
Odom’s role questioned

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Tags: Craig Fitzhugh, Gary Odom, John Litz, Kent Williams, Mike Turner  

The End Of West Tennessee Political Dominance

By Kleinheider Posted on December 10, 2008 at 5:31 pm

Frank Cagle talks it out:

The Democrats ignored the pleas of their governor and (until January) their speaker, and elected Odom over Fitzhugh. Given the growing conservative Republicanism of rural West Tennessee, it probably marked the end of West Tennessee dominance of state government. Any Democratic coalition in a Restoration, of course, will need the Black Caucus and they may again be back in power. But it seems that the sun has set on the West—unless they produce another political genius like McWherter.

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Tags: Add new tag, Craig Fitzhugh, Jimmy Naifeh, Ned Mcwherter  

Tennessee Democrats Continue To Crumble

By Kleinheider Posted on November 20, 2008 at 10:30 am

Not only will the party likely be dealing with Republican speakers in both chambers, it is now clear that if Rep. Gary Odom is able to retain his spot as Minority Leader there may be little coordination with the House Democrats and popular Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen:

“Unfortunately, there have been some trust issues with Rep. Odom,” Bredesen spokeswoman Lydia Lenker told The Associated Press in an e-mail exchange late Wednesday. She did not elaborate on what those issues have been.

“We’re actively exploring options other than Rep. Odom to carry the administration’s legislative package,” she wrote.

Odom has been raising and dispersing a far amount of coin to help out his fellow legislators in expectation of a battle between himself and Jimmy Naifeh. One would assume that money is still good in a Minority Leader race with Rep. Fitzhugh, gubernatorial backing or not.

SEE ALSO:
Braisted
Woods
Elect Blue

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Tags: Craig Fitzhugh, Gary Odom, Phil Bredesen  

Don’t Think He Won’t Go There: Odom Gets A Challenger

By Kleinheider Posted on November 18, 2008 at 10:59 am

Jeff Woods reports that Rep. Gary Odom will not be unopposed in his quest to retain the title of Democratic Leader in the state House and his challenger, Rep. Craig Fitzhugh is not pulling any punches:

Craig Fitzhugh is challenging Gary Odom to become leader of the Democrats in the state House, and the caucus could meet this weekend to vote.

Fitzhugh, chair of the House Finance Committee, is from Ripley (believe it or not), and his candidacy may represent the last gasp of the old West Tennessee Democratic mafia.

He won’t say it, but his sales pitch is likely that Odom is a screwup whose mistakes contributed to the Democratic election debacle. If they elect Odom as their leader, Democrats may be putting their trust in the very one who led them into the political wilderness.

As majority leader, Odom feuded with House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, and some Democrats are complaining that the bickering between the two kept the party’s House campaigns in disarray.

“Call it the taking-your-eye-off-the-ball syndrome,” one Democrat tells Pith. “Remember: Here’s a guy who bolted for his honeymoon in Europe during the budget’s crunch time this year.”

Of course, the woman who contributed to the 57 year-old Odom taking his eye off the ball was the 24 year-old former Miss Rachel Zamata who, before marrying Odom, was a Capitol Hill intern.

SEE ALSO: Bill Hobbs

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Tags: Craig Fitzhugh, Gary Odom, honeymoon, marriage, Rachel Zamata  

Fitzhugh To The Rescue

By Kleinheider Posted on April 17, 2008 at 6:54 pm

Rep. Craig Fitzhugh’s Finance Committee will consider legislation which will appropriate state funds to protect workers in the State Department of Children’s Services from losing their jobs over changes in federal guidelines:

House Finance Committee Chair Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley) announced his committee will consider contingency legislation appropriating $70 million in additional Department of Children’s Services funding if steps at the federal level fail. The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) faces a $73 million withdrawal of federal funds due to a recent rule change by the Bush administration that slashes federal reimbursements to states providing key child protective and welfare services.

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Tags: Craig Fitzhugh, DCS, Phil Bredesen, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services