Confirmed: Haynes to challenge Wilder for Speaker

State Senator from Goodlettsville goes head-to-head with Lt. Gov. John Wilder for speaker

Email | Print By Ken Whitehouse

Joe Haynes

The morning blog posts are true, State Sen. Joe Haynes (D-Nashville) is challenging Lt. Gov. John Wilder to become the next Speaker of the Senate.

WKRN's "Volunteer Voters" blog this morning reported chatter that Haynes would join Senate Republican Majority Leader Ron Ramsey in an attempt to topple the 30+ year reign of the resilient Wilder.

Haynes has now released a statement declaring: "I have decided to offer myself for the postion of Speaker of the Senate at this critical juncture in the history of the state of Tennessee. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the leadership of Lt. Gov. John Wilder, but I believe the time has come for a new vision for the Senate."

Haynes also committed to having a "bi-partisan approach" to the office if elected. He'll need it. To accomplish his goal, he will need at least two members of the Republican caucus to support his leadership bid, assuming Wilder decides to not vote for him if Haynes secures the support of the Democratic Caucus.

Haynes, who is chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, has been a state senator since 1985. Wilder, 85, is the longest-serving party leader in any American state government, having clung to his post since 1971.