Mumpower And Memphis

By Kleinheider Posted on December 22, 2008 at 7:08 am

The soon-to-be state House Speaker Jason Mumpower assures Richard Locker that he won’t shortshrift Memphis as power in the legislature shifts from West to East:

Mumpower said he’s familiar with Memphis issues after 10 years in the legislature. He and Ramsey quietly toured UT Memphis last spring, checking out reports of crumbling walls, outdated equipment and inadequate space. In many ways, Memphis is like their Tri-Cities area in feeling they get short shrift from Nashville.

“If I’m fortunate enough to become speaker, it’s going to shine a brighter light on my community. All my life, I’ve heard people there lament that most Tennesseans believe the state ends at Knoxville,” Mumpower said.

“But I am keenly aware of the need to be a speaker for the whole state, from Mountain City to Memphis. I care just as much about the other end of the state and everything in between.

“I have a deep appreciation for Memphis and Shelby County. It’s an epicenter for popular culture,” he said.

permalink | 1 Comment

Tags: Bristol, East Tennessee, Grand Divisions, Jason Mumpower, Memphis, West Tennessee  

Cautiously Optimistic

By Kleinheider Posted on December 10, 2008 at 9:00 am

Betty Bean talks with the two lone East Tennessee Democrats in the state House about the changing of the majority in the chamber and hopes that it may flip again:

Democrats will get through it, but they need to regain their majority status in 2010, because the winners that year will be in charge of redrawing district lines for both state and federal legislators.

“There is good hope that the Democrats can make a comeback in the next election. Will we, for sure? Don’t bet your home on it, but there’s a chance. We’ll probably need help from the national party. We’ll need help from the governor, too. He’s a nice man, but he really doesn’t like politics, and his administration is moving into its last two years. We’re hoping he’ll help us out on some things.

“Next time it’s for keeps,” Tindell said.

SEE ALSO: R. Neal

permalink | 1 Comment

Tags: 2010, East Tennessee, Harry Tindell, Jason Mumpower, Joe Armstrong, Tennessee Democrats  

No Retreat, No Surrender

By Kleinheider Posted on December 4, 2008 at 7:37 am

Vibinc argues that Tennessee Democrats must take the fight to the enemy — on all fronts:

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not arguing for pragmatism over principle, I’m arguing against surrender. When we surrender districts we surrender our values to a bully pulpit that ultimately undermines our values. By running someone who represents the Democratic platform, we affirm our values, even if the candidate in question may have certain contrary positions. I would rather have a part-time ally than a consistent adversary. And while I’ve been hard on the Blue Dogs and other groups in the US Congress, I know that without them, we would have no majority to speak of.

SEE ALSO: Mark Mays

permalink | Comment on this post

Tags: East Tennessee, Strategy, TNDP