NASHVILLE - Gov. Bill Haslam is under fire from at least two Tennessee county-level Republican parties and reportedly by at least eight others - all furious over the governor's Oct. 9 call for GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump to step aside in favor of running mate Mike Pence.
The Coffee County and Fayette County Republican parties have passed resolutions criticizing Haslam, the titular head of the Tennessee Republican Party, for the governor's remarks made after a 2005 tape surfaced in which Trump, the one-time billionaire and star of the "The Apprentice," boasted in vulger terms about how his fame enabled him to kiss, grope and seek sex with women other than his wife.
Emphasizing that "character in our leaders does matter," Haslam said this month "it is time for the good of the nation and the Republican Party for Donald Trump to step aside If he does not step aside, I will write in a Republican for the Office of President."
The Coffee and Fayette parties' resolutions obtained by the Times Free Press cite some of Haslam's remarks and charge that the "values, unity, and success of the Republican Party have increasingly been sacrificed to satisfy the greed and ego of those who see the party as a tool for their own personal benefit rather than the good of the nation."
They also say "no government official or party officer has any authority to deny, revoke, or subvert the consent of the governed who have selected and empowered that official to his position of trust."
Alluding to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, the Coffee resolution takes aim not just at Haslam but Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Ryan Haynes, who had said "we're encouraging people to vote their conscience."
The local party, the resolution states, "rejects all divisive utterances" made by Haslam or Haynes. It says it's "inappropriate for any Republican leader to support or suggest that Republicans vote for any candidate other than the Republican nominee."
Fayette County's resolution makes no mention of Haynes. Recently, some state GOP Executive Committee members called on him to step down.
Republicans say similar resolutions have been adopted by eight other local parties. Among them is the Grundy County Republican Party in Southeast Tennessee. Others cited by Republican insiders were Cannon, Chester, Lincoln, Humphries, Henry, Carroll and Benton counties.
A former Republican Governors Association chairman, Haslam told reporters last week "I have concerns about the future of our party. We struggle already with women, with minorities and with young people. And we're on a track where we're not helping that. Having said that, I have real concerns about Hillary Clinton as president."
He said he plans to write in a Republican since Trump wouldn't step down. And Haslam stressed that it's "still important for Republicans like me to go vote" because of important down-ballot races involving Tennessee candidates.
"I'm firmly committed to the Republican Party," Haslam said. "That's why I made that statement."
In a written statement to the Times Free Press, Haynes said, "we remain convinced that Donald Trump will easily defeat Hillary Clinton and win our state's 11 electoral votes."
He said the party is committed to electing Republicans here at all levels, adding he is of the "firm belief that every Tennessean - when they follow their conscience and look at potential Supreme Court vacancies, our crushing national debt, and a host of other critical national issues - will inevitably be voting against Hillary Clinton."
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow on Twitter @AndySher1.