NASHVILLE — Hamilton County Republican lawmakers say they want to ensure GOP candidates for Tennessee secretary of state, comptroller and treasurer will honor the state’s economic commitments to the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga if elected by the General Assembly.

Hamilton County’s legislative delegation chairman said he and his Republican colleagues began sounding out the list of would-be constitutional officers after a discussion with Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey.

“I’ve told them that while I don’t expect them to make specific promises, that if they felt uncomfortable with the state keeping its commitments, I would be vocally opposed to their nominations within our caucus,” Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, said.

Mr. Ramsey said he wanted to make sure lawmakers were aware there “were commitments that need to be kept.”

The three state constitutional officers — Secretary of State Riley Darnell, Comptroller John Morgan and Treasurer Dale Sims — serve on the State Funding Board, which handles a variety of state financial functions. They are responsible for approving much of the $229.7 million in state incentives for Volkswagen’s $1 billion, 2,000-employee plant in Chattanooga. They would be involved if bonds needed to be issued.

Mr. Morgan said there is more to be done to fulfill the state’s overall commitment to the VW project.

“The Funding Board and the Funding Board’s members would have various roles to play in those approvals,” he said.

State incentives include a $40 million training center, $13.7 million to operate it and $24 million in state FastTrack Job Training Assistance.

The three constitutional officers are Democrats, elected by a majority or at least 67 of the 132 members of the General Assembly.

But in the Nov. 4 election, Republicans gained a majority of seats in both the House and Senate for the first time since 1869. They now have 69 members — 19 senators and 50 representatives — enough to elect Republicans if they remain united. A lobbying blitz is already under way with a number of current or former GOP officials, and in some instances, donors seeking the posts.

Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, who has been in contact with many of the candidates, said local lawmakers “are doing our due diligence and making sure that whoever the constitutional officers are, they know that’s ... important to Hamilton County.”

Rep. JoAnne Favors, D-Chattanooga, said she is concerned that “we will be losing too much history if we replace all of them at one time.”

She said she hopes majority Republicans consider “what’s best for the state rather than making this a political situation.”

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, who is Senate speaker, said he recognizes the importance of the Volkswagen plant.

“That goes without saying that we’re going to honor the state’s commitments,” said Lt. Gov. Ramsey. “I think that’s a done deal.”

He suggested Republicans might offer transitional consulting contracts to Mr. Morgan and Mr. Sims to ease a transition.

Mr. Morgan said he isn’t sure how he would react to that proposal.

However, he said, “I’m willing to consider anything.”

Both Mr. Morgan and Mr. Sims both said they intend to run again, which would require some Republicans to back them. Mr. Morgan said he hasn’t sounded out any Republicans yet.

Last week, House Republicans, who have a 50-49 majority, pledged to back a Republican for House speaker, but the pledge said nothing about the constitutional officers. But Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Robin Smith recently said that as she sees the party’s bylaws, Republican lawmakers would face repercussions for voting for a Democratic constitutional officer instead of a Republican candidate.

They could be barred from running as Republicans, she said.

CANDIDATE INTEREST

Among those interested in the secretary of state post is Tre’ Hargett, a former Republican representative from Memphis who now serves as chairman of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority.

“I think any commitments we have made as a state need to be honored,” Mr. Hargett noted. “I think we would place ourselves at a great disadvantage if the economic development community thought we were not up to honoring the promises and commitments that were made.”

Others interested in the secretary of state post include Jim Bryson, a former state senator who ran unsuccessfully as the 2006 gubernatorial nominee; former Rep. Larry Scroggins, R-Memphis; and Federal Communications Commission member Deborah Tate.

Justin Wilson, who was a deputy to former Republican Gov. Don Sundquist, is seeking the comptroller’s post. Ira Brody, a Murfreesboro businessman and one-time top aide to former Republican New York Gov. George Pataki, is seeking the treasurer’s post, as is former Sundquist revenue commissioner Ruth Johnson.