Tennessee: Williams elected speaker in upset

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

I was booing in the gallery of the House when Kent Williams (liaR-Elizabethton) plot to be elected Speaker was fulfilled.

Kent Williams was one of the "Naifeh boys" and was always looked upon with distrust -- now he has proven those misgivings to be accurate.  Williams even signed a pledge, published in a press release and via e-mail, stating that he would vote for the Republican House Officers as chosen by the caucus.  This fact alone makes him a liar.

The hopes and dreams of Tennesseans, the majority of whom voted for Republican House candidates, of change in leadership after 150 years of one-party rule - these hopes have been dashed for the moment, yet our thirst for victory is unquenchable.

I started my morning at 7am at the Capitol at a breakfast with some of the legislators and guests.  I then staked out my seat at 9am and waited three hours for the session to start (all the seats were full by 9:30)  Thousands of Republicans were at the Capitol awaiting our appointment with history.

At Noon the session started with a roll call and swearing-in.  Speaker Jimmy Naifeh (D-Covington) presided as the incumbent Speaker.  Gary Odom (Dem Leader) made a motion for some sort of ridiculous 30 minute recess for a "photography break".  Jason Mumpower (GOP Leader) objected and a vote was called.  All 49 Dems voted for the recess, 49 Republicans voted against it - and one freshman Republican, Terri Lynn Weaver, misunderstood what the vote was for and voted Aye.  I was secretly rooting for the Dems on this procedural motion as I really, really had to pee.

Williams was seen in Jimmy Naifeh's office during this break, though the Tennessean reports that this deal was made at least a couple of days ago.  However we've heard rumors that Naifeh actually didn't approve of this deal and really wanted to hold on to power in his own name - but Gary Odom worked this deal out.

Things got started again at 1pm with the election of House Officers.  Mumpower was nominated and an attempt was made to close nominations at that point but it was challenged, rightfully so.  Gary Odom rose and made his nomination speech - which we all expected to be for the nomination of Jimmy Naifeh.  He said something about his nominee exemplifying bi-partisanship and laughter rang out from the gallery.  Then he said that it was the first time in history that the Dem leader would be nominating a Republican....

and gasp.

Some other Dem rose to second the nomination - but apparently only Odom, Naifeh, and Williams knew about the deal and the Seconder clearly wasn't prepared.

Then there was the vote.  The House rules are ridiculously partisan and allow the Dems to vote first and then the Republicans.  All 49 Dems voted for Williams.... we held out hope that Williams didn't know... or would do the right thing....  but 49 Republicans voted for Mumpower and Williams, at the end of the Republican alphabet, voted for himself.

I, and hundreds of other Republicans in the gallery, screamed "boo" as loudly as we could and Naifeh threatened to have the Seargant at Arms remove us from the chamber.  On the one hand we couldn't believe it - we had come from so far to get so close - but we always knew in the back of our minds that Naifeh would not let go of his fiefdom so easily.

Highway patrol deputies began to make their presence known as the Judas of Elizabethton, Kent Williams, made his way to the front.  Williams was sworn-in as Speaker, and made a one-minute speech consisting of "I've been booed before".

He then walked up to the Speakers podium, and said that he designated Jimmy Naifeh to preside over the rest of the session.

You see, "Speaker" Williams has only been in office for two terms and has no parliamentary background.  He apparently doesn't even know how to do the job.  But he has nothing to fear, I'm sure ol' Jimmy will be pulling his strings for him.

On one hand, I respect that the Dems "beat" us on this and managed - just as their State Senate counterparts did in 2005 - to hold on to the Speakership despite losing their majority.  On the other hand, I think it is rather despicable and sad that they did so by laying their trust in a man who lacks character, honor, and trust.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

I'm curious to hear Don's reaction to this one. I'm not sure whether he will love Williams for being a moderate or hate him for being a traitor.

Traitors do great harm to the cause of true moderates.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Here is the video coverage from WTVF:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLQ_6IWdCiw

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Sounds like probably the Dems are just hurting themselves in the long run.

Bingo.

Interesting.  I would bet Williams gets a primary opponent in 2010.

He had one in 2008.  A friend of mine managed the challenger's campaign, but his candidate was perceived as being too conservative and the race didn't go well.

The TRP is going to strip him of ballot access as a Republican so its a moot point.
Like Mike Williams, he probably thinks he is sooo beloved by the residents of his district that he can run as a Independent or Democrat and win.... and like Mike Williams, he will find out that nobody cares who he is.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

So looking back on it, the conservative should have won? 

Absolutely.  However, it wasn't a Democratic pick-up opportunity in a swing district, so Pat Toomey and the Klub for Growth was no where to be found.

What I want to know is... how the hell do you pronounce "Naifeh"?

It is pronounced F**K-tard.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

That said, the GOP did the same thing essentially when in the state senate they got Rosalind Kurita to elect a GOP Speaker in the Senate and a chairmanship for herself. Don had her pic up for months calling her a true hero.

Not quite.

Kent Williams voted for himself, in conjunction with the minority party, to maintain their control over government

Rosiland Kurita voted to turn over control to the party that had won the most seats in the election.

In 2004, Tennesseans elected a Republican majority for the first time ever in the State Senate.  Problem is that a "Republican" named Williams, Mike Williams in this case, voted for the 85-year-old Democrat John Wilder over Republican Ron Ramsey.

In 2006, Tennesseans once again returned a Republican majority, and Mike Williams was determined to keep Wilder.  Fortunately, Rosiland Kurita felt that it was time for a change and courageously broke with her own Party to support Ron Ramsey, who remains our Lt. Governor.

If anything, Kurita's actions are more similar to those of the 49 House Democrats who voted for Williams than Williams's own action.  I think that the Tennessee Democratic Party, who overturned the will of the voters in Kuritas district to force in their own party hack, will nullify the primary elections of all 49 House Dems for voting for a "Republican" for Speaker... but I doubt we would see that kind of fairness out of the TDP.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Sounds like probably the Dems are just hurting themselves in the long run.

Yes, long term, the state party needs to rid itself of Jimmy Naifeh.

If f**ktards like Gary Odom are your replacement then you might as well keep Naifeh.

Fun TN House facts:

Legislators under age 40:
12 Republicans
3 Democrats

9 of the 10 youngest members are Republicans
All of the 12 oldest members are Democrats

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Sounds like probably the Dems are just hurting themselves in the long run.

Yes, long term, the state party needs to rid itself of Jimmy Naifeh.

If f**ktards like Gary Odom are your replacement then you might as well keep Naifeh.

I actually ran against Odom in a primary once.

One of the many reasons why I like you.