NASHVILLE — House Speaker Kent Williams said House Republican leaders barred him from attending the GOP Caucus meeting Wednesday, and Republican Leader Jason Mumpower said he thinks Rep. Williams should stay away.
The incident occurred as Republicans continue struggling with how to deal with Rep. Williams, the one-time Elizabethton Republican who joined with all 49 Democrats on Jan. 13 and voted to make himself speaker over Rep. Mumpower in a 50-49 vote.
“I’m still in the caucus,” Speaker Williams said. “I’m still a Republican. I’m not voted out (of the caucus) yet, and I don’t think I will be.”
The speaker said Rep. Mumpower and other Republicans opposing him do not have a majority of the 49 GOP Caucus votes needed to oust him. He thinks there are maybe 12, 13 votes against him.
Last month, Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Robin Smith booted the speaker from the party.
Rep. Mumpower said dealing with Speaker Williams is an “issue we’re working on. If there (is) even one member (opposed), if it causes discontent within the caucus, it would be best if he did not attend. And there are more than a few members who are discontent with him, therefore I think it’s best that he doesn’t attend.”
He said “my mission is to have and to maintain a very united caucus, and that’s what we’re going to be about.” He said that will not be possible “if there are members who are discontent,” and he noted there “absolutely” are such members.
Caucus members will not get a vote on the matter, Rep. Mumpower said, noting it will be a leadership decision based on “what’s best for the caucus ... my position is we should do whatever is necessary to maintain the utmost unity within the caucus.”
Asked what action the caucus would take with regard to Speaker Williams, House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada, R-College Grove, appeared flustered.
“We don’t know, and we don’t know, and we’ll solve it. We’re going to work it out. (I) Just don’t have an answer for you right now.”
Speaker Williams suggested they should “just get all the members together and have a roll call vote.”
Andy Sher is a Nashville-based staff writer covering Tennessee state government and politics for the Times Free Press. A Washington correspondent from 1999-2005 for the Times Free Press, Andy previously headed up state Capitol coverage for The Chattanooga Times, worked as a state Capitol reporter for The Nashville Banner and was a contributor to The Tennessee Journal, among other publications. Andy worked for 17 years at The Chattanooga Times covering police, health care, county government, ...
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