By ERIK SCHELZIG

Associated Press Writer

NASHVILLE - Republicans on Monday unanimously nominated state Rep. Jason Mumpower for House speaker.

Republicans gained a one-vote majority in the 99-seat lower chamber of the General Assembly in last month's elections, giving them the numbers to elect a GOP speaker for the first time since 1969.

Mumpower, 35, of Bristol, said he is confident his caucus will hold together to elect him speaker when the Legislature convenes in January. "I think we're as united as we've ever been," he told reporters after the caucus vote.

The powerful House speaker is responsible for deciding the makeup and leadership of legislative committees, and can vote on bills before any panel.

Mumpower in a speech to fellow Republicans acknowledged the slim 50-49 advantage the party will have to operate under.

"I know all of us would like a broader majority than 50, but ... it shows the importance of each person to this event, to this point in history," he said. "We would not be a majority without every single person here."

Current Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, a Covington Democrat, has vowed to run again despite his party's numerical disadvantage. Naifeh's 18-year grip on the top post makes him the longest-serving House speaker in Tennessee history.

But Naifeh's chances of persevering may have been dealt a blow by the election of Rep. Steve McDaniel, R-Parkers Crossroads, as the GOP choice for speaker pro tempore.

McDaniel in the past has been among the handful of Republicans to vote for Naifeh as speaker.

Rep. Frank Niceley, a Strawberry Plains Republican who unsuccessfully challenged McDaniel, said he had been discouraged from seeking the No. 2 spot because of an arrangement between moderate and conservative Republicans.

"They came to me and said Frank you've get to get out of this race," he said after the vote. "There is no deal, but if you don't get out of the race, you're going to mess up the deal."

Niceley didn't say who had told him about a possible deal.

Niceley had urged lawmakers to reject McDaniel because of his votes for Naifeh and for supporting past tax increases. He called McDaniel a "man who votes for the other team, who votes for the taxes, and doesn't stick with us when the going gets tough."

McDaniel said after the secret ballot that he didn't listen to Niceley's speech and that he had no comment on his allegations.

Mumpower wouldn't say whether he had made any deals with McDaniel and moderate Republicans, which candidate he supported, or if Niceley's speech contradicted the goal of unifying the caucus.

"That's not for me to have anything to say anything about," he said. "I'm for us being in the majority. The elections are over."

Nicely defended his strong statements about McDaniel.

"If you get this crowd together and you get this podium, why not make a strong statement?" he said. "I felt like I said something. I don't know if anybody was listening, but I said something."