Republican is House Speaker, but it's not the one you think

Rep. Kent Williams met with boos after pulling off shocking win

Email | Print By Ken Whitehouse

It is now official: There is a Republican speaker of the Tennessee State House. But his name is not Jason Mumpower.

The Tennessee House of Representatives officialy installed East Tennessee Republican Rep. Kent Williams of Carter County as the Speaker for 106th General Assembly.

Democrats pulled the old switcheroo and put Williams into office to cries of "traitor" from some members of the Republican caucus. Williams had been considered a target for a Democratic vote but had maintained all along that he would vote for a Republican. In the end, he did, voting for himself.

Williams took to the well and said he understood why he was being booed and asked all to hear him out. He acknowledged in his address that he would likely lose his next election, but then said, "Today is the day that ends the reign of a great speaker, Jimmy Naifeh. Today, I realize the disappointment and hurt of a lot members, especially our leader Jason Mumpower."

He said today wasn't about Mumpower or Naifeh. It was about change. He then called for both parties to work together, saying that, for too many years, many members of a minority party have had to sit on the sideline with good ideas. He said he wanted all voices to be heard, not just one side. He wanted to work with both parties and appoint committee chairs of both parties based on experience.

Today's drama began when Democratic Leader Gary Odom motioned for a 30-minute recess after members were sworn in, to which Mumpower vehemently objected. As Speaker of the 105th General Assembly, Naifeh still presided and quickly gaveled for the recess.

Mumpower then called for a vote, which he lost when freshman Republican State Rep. Terry Lynn Weaver of Lancaster voted with Democrats. As the vote was made official, Republicans could be heard shouting for her to change her vote, which she did not do in time.

Republican legislators claimed after the vote that she had hit the wrong button. Nevertheless, it was an inauspicious beginning to her legislative career and the new Republican majority.

When the House came back, Mumpower was nominated by his colleagues. Then things became more tense when Naifeh recognized Republican State Rep. Glen Casada of Franklin. Casada called for nominations to cease, a motion that was seconded – all this before Democrats placed Naifeh's name in nomination.

Democrat leader Odom was outraged and called for "fair elections" and  blasted Republicans for trying to close the vote before he could put forward a Democratic nominee.

Naifeh called Casada's motion out of order, to which Mumpower objected the ruling of the chair. Mumpower's objection caused a cheer from Republicans on the floor and in the gallery, to which he quickly motioned for them to quiet.

Naifeh then asked both Mumpower and Odom to approach the well of the House to discuss the matter among the three of them and the legal counsel of the House.

After a brief discussion, Mumpower withdrew his objection and then gave the floor back to Naifeh. Then came the surprise. Odom and the Democrats nominated Republican Rep. Kent Williams for the position of Speaker of the House. All of the Democrats voted together for Williams.

If anything, the prolonged tension of this first meeting of the 106th General Assembly is a harbinger of how relations between the two rival parties will continue over the course of the next two years.

For more on the historic events of the day visit our political blog, Post Politics.