One Man, Many Votes
Posted on December 2, 2008 at 9:25 amDavid Oatney says the powers of the Speaker Pro Tempore in our state House of Representatives are more extensive than many may believe:
For while the Speaker Pro Tem does not often preside over the House in Tennessee, he or she does have the ability to walk into any committee of the House and vote a bill up or down, just as the Speaker does. Bill Dunn, who is not a man out to seek any leadership position for the sake of his own advancement, once told me that from a personal perspective-if he were only considering himself-he would like being Speaker Pro Tempore for that very reason.
Deal Or No Deal?
Posted on at 7:07 amRep. Frank Niceley makes it plain that he believes that the price of Rep. Steve McDaniel’s vote for a Republican Speaker was the GOP caucus’ nomination for Speaker Pro Tempore:
Mumpower and McDaniel both denied rumors that a deal had been made to assure McDaniel the No. 2 position, so long as he and allies agreed to back Mumpower in the top position.
Niceley, however, voiced skepticism about the situation after the voting. He said some fellow Republicans had urged him to bow out of the race and let McDaniel run unopposed.
“Basically, they said, ‘There is no deal, but if you don’t get out, you’re going to mess up the deal,’ ” Niceley said.
UPDATE: Rep. Jason Mumpower on the alleged deal:
“That’s not for me to have anything to say anything about,” he said. “I’m for us being in the majority. The elections are over.”
Seen All He Needs
Posted on November 29, 2008 at 1:11 pmDavid Oatney doesn’t need to see any not-so-incriminating emails from Rep. Steve McDaniel to make a decision about whether the man should be Speaker Pro Tem:
I do not believe much more incrimination is needed other than that Steve McDaniel voted for the income tax and for Jimmy Naifeh for Speaker of the House. We might like to find even more juicy tidbits that prove McDaniel’s lack of conservatism or party loyalty to a greater degree because, as many are quick to point out, we need these Republican short-shrifters who voted for Naifeh to vote with us for House Speaker. I have no problem thowing these folks some nice meaty bones,but leadership posts should go to conservatives and to loyal Republicans who have worked for this day. Standing with the GOP through thick and thin needs to be rewarded when the political situation is truly at its thickest point for Tennessee Republicans.
You’re Aware This Is Politics, Yeah?
Posted on November 21, 2008 at 4:22 pmDavid Oatney is appalled that Rep. Jason Mumpower may be cutting deals to ensure that the Republican majority stays the majority when it comes to the vote for speaker:
What does it say to Tennessee Republicans about the state of our House Caucus when the Leader of that Caucus does not even believe that he can get the necessary majority to be elected Speaker of the House without attempting to give away an office which by right belongs to the Caucus to determine? As the Leader, he should be able to command the votes to be elected Speaker based on the fact that he is Leader of the majority party and has been nominated by that party for Speaker. He should not have to buy the votes of members of his own party in order to claim that which should go to a Republican member by virtue of the Republican majority alone.
SEE ALSO: Mumpower says there has been no deals.
Mucking Up Mumpower’s Maneuver
Posted on November 20, 2008 at 4:23 pmThough it has been widely rumored that the Speaker Pro Tempore position was the price for Rep. Steve McDaniel’s vote for a GOP speaker, conservative firebrand Rep. Frank Nicely has decided to challenge McDaniel anyway:
Nicely will face State Representative Steve McDaniel in the upcoming leadership elections. Nicely is garnering the support of many Republicans who are worried about the message grassroots Republicans, independents, and some anti-income-tax Tennesseans will receive if the pro-income tax McDaniel is elected to the 2nd most powerful position in the State House.
SEE ALSO: David Oatney
Naifeh Running Out Of Options
Posted on November 10, 2008 at 11:02 amThe announcement Friday that Rep. Kent Williams, one of six “Naifeh Republicans” will support Republican Leader Jason Mumpower for speaker was serious setback for current speaker Jimmy Naifeh’s bid to retain his post.
Although the state House now has a Republican majority, it is only a one vote majority, Naifeh needs to flip only one Republican to keep his spot on top of the food chain at Legislative Plaza.
Williams looked like a prime target for a pick off. He has had more than a few beefs with conservative members of his caucus. His reelection was openly opposed by conservatives and he had a very public back and forth with conservative stalwart Stacey Campfield on the floor of the House.
Now that Williams is no longer target, who is left? What can Naifeh offer a Republican to go against his party?
One thing that Naifeh could offer a Republican is regional parity. Speaker Naifeh is from Tipton County nestled securely in the Western part of Tennessee. If Jason Mumpower is elevated to speaker not only will the two most powerful spots in the legislature be held by East Tennesseans they will be held by members representing a very narrow area of East Tennessee.
Jason Mumpower is not just an East Tennessean, he is Ron Ramsey’s state Representative and Ramsey is Mumpower’s state Senator. If Mumpower is speaker, power and influence will be concentrated not just in two members of the same party, it will be concentrated in two members representing essentially the same geographical area.
Tennessee is a big state and there has always been a battle for supremacy across the three grand divisions of Tennessee. If Naifeh were to come to a West Tennessee Representative, say Naifeh Republican Steve McDaniel, and remind him that a Speaker Mumpower may have little love for West Tennessee, could he be persuaded?
An interesting argument, but one that may be moot. Steve Gill reported this morning that Jason Mumpower may have made his own regional argument to McDaniel — offering the West Tennessee Rep. the title of House Speaker Pro Temp in exchange for his vote for a Republican speaker.
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