The Tennessee State Senate voted 26-6 this afternoon to void the special election that had placed Ophelia Ford in the State Senate seat previously held by her brother, former State Sen. John Ford (D-Memphis).John Ford resigned the seat last year when he was indicted in the federal "Tennessee Waltz" public corruption investigation.Ophelia Ford has been fighting in the state senate and in federal court to stay in office after winning a special election by 13 votes. The results were challenged by her Republican opponent, Terry Roland, and a subsequent investigation found that a number of voters who had participated were felons, lived outside of the district, or had questionable residency in the district. Also, two votes were cast under the names of individuals who had died before the election.A special ad hoc committee of the Senate voted 4-1 last week to void the election. Today's action by the Senate was widely anticipated.The Senate vote came after Sen. Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) rose to question whether Ford could be removed lawfully in light of a Memphis federal judge's order last January that held up Senate proceedings in the case. Cohen summoned two arbiters to the well of the Senate — first Assistant Attorney General Janet Kleinfelter, and then retired Judge Ben Cantrell, who had served as counsel to the ad hoc committee — to query them about the issue.Cohen's parting comment, as he appeared to concede that he could not stop the vote, was that "if the Senator in this seat's name were other than Ford, we might not be in this position." Cohen might well benefit politically from having stood up on behalf of Ophelia Ford, as he is a candidate to replace her nephew, Harold Ford Jr., in the congressional seat he is giving up to run for the U.S. Senate.Democratic Senators Thelma Harper and Joe Haynes were the only Nashville lawmakers to vote against Ford's ouster.The Ford family has a long history in Tennessee politics. Harold Ford Sr., also Ophelia's brother, served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1970-74 before being elected to the U.S. Congress. John Ford was elected to the State Senate in 1974 and Harold Ford Jr. was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1996 and is now a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate.A vacancy in this seat should be filled soon with an appointment from the Shelby County Commission. That person will serve until the November election.The GOP-controlled Shelby County Commission could select a Republican to serve the final month of the 104th General Assembly. This move would give the Republicans in the State Senate an even greater majority of 19 to 14.This gain would probably be temporary, however. Seasoned political observers on both sides of the aisle say privately that they would be amazed if a Republican could hold the seat in November. Ophelia Ford is on the ballot for that race and is widely expected to return to office.
