Tennessee: Williams elected speaker in upset

[Keystone Phil]

Didn't the Republicans do something similar last term?

It happened here in PA when the Dems had a one seat majority but couldn't get their leader elected. As a result, Republican Denny O'Brien was elected as a compromise choice.    He received six Republican votes and all but three Dem votes. The six Republicans that voted for him were some of the most conservative members of the body so he had very broad support.

This isn't exactly the same though since the Dems were in the majority here in PA when they pulled that move.

[Keystone Phil]

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.

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

[Keystone Phil]

so Pat Toomey and the Klub for Growth was no where to be found.

Enough, Don. Really. The Club was involved in two U.S. Senate races in 2004 (Alaska and Oklahoma) where their candidate was more electable than your candidate.