Tennessee: Mumpower bid for House post bolstered

NASHVILLE — Republican House Leader Jason Mumpower now has a clear path to securing the powerful speaker’s post with two possible opponents getting out of the way.

One of those opponents, Rep. Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, said Thursday she would not run against him. Meanwhile, an aide to former Republican leader Rep. Steve McDaniel, R-Parkers Crossroads, said that he would not oppose Rep. Mumpower, R-Kingsport, although Rep. McDaniel was approached about running for speaker.

“I think that Jason garnered what is, as you know, a traditional coalition within our caucus, and that’s where the votes” are, said Rep. Harwell, a sometimes moderate lawmaker, former Tennessee Republican Party chairman and recent co-chairman of GOP presidential candidate John McCain’s Tennessee campaign. “He (Mumpower) will be our nominee.”

Earlier in the day, Rep. Vince Dean, R-East Ridge, said, “I will vote for whomever the Republican Caucus puts up for speaker.”

The moves come as Republicans seek to translate their newly won 50-49 majority in the 99-member House into actual control of the chamber and oust Democratic House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh of Covington when lawmakers convene Jan. 13.

Republicans picked up four seats in Tuesday’s elections. But Rep. Naifeh, who has been speaker for nearly 18 years, has not publicly thrown in the towel.

Democrats say Rep. Naifeh is looking at whether he can peel off the votes of one or more of six Republicans who supported his election as speaker in 2007 when Democrats held a majority.

One of them is Rep. Kent Williams, R-Butler, whose independent style spurred harsh attacks last summer from several Republican lawmakers who backed his primary opponent. Rep. Williams declined Thursday to say whether he will support a Republican over Rep. Naifeh but did indicate an interest in mending “bridges” with fellow Republicans.

“I’m not going to comment on that at this time,” Rep. Williams said of whom he will back for speaker. “I will comment on it before it’s time to vote. We’ve got some things I’ve got to work out with my own party.

“I am a Republican,” Rep. Williams said. “There’s just an issue that a number of members of my own party tried to beat me in the primary, so I’m still a little hurt by that. But I’m sure we can mend those bridges and move on from there. I know on my part we can mend those bridges.”

He said he told Rep. Mumpower and Rep. Harwell that “there’s going to have to be some changes made. ... I feel like we need to do some things differently and not make some mistakes that have been made in the past, I think, by the Democrat Party.”

In Senate developments Thursday, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, said he thinks former state Sen. Rosalind Kurita, a Clarksville Democrat who lost her re-election bid this week, would make a “great secretary of state.”

“But I’m not sure there aren’t other candidates out there, too,” said Sen. Ramsey, who as Senate speaker has the title of lieutenant governor.

He said he has spoken about the secretary of state position not only with Ms. Kurita, whose loss stemmed from her support of Sen. Ramsey’s successful 2007 bid for speaker, but also the GOP’s unsuccessful 2006 gubernatorial nominee, Jim Bryson.

Lt. Gov. Ramsey said Nashville lawyer Justin Wilson, who was former Republican Gov. Don Sundquist’s deputy, has told him he is interested in becoming state treasurer or comptroller.

All three constitutional officer positions are elected by the state’s 132 legislators and are currently filled by Democrats.