NASHVILLE – It was a day of firsts in the General Assembly today as Republicans seized the reins of power in both chambers for the first time since 1869, and House GOP members elected Rep. Beth Harwell of Nashville as the first female House speaker ever.
Harwell was unanimously elected to the post. Democrats chose not to offer their own candidate for speaker.
Sen. Speaker Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, was re-elected to a third term on a 20-13 partisan vote.
Republicans in November increased their numbers from 50 to 64 in the House and from 19 to 20 in the 33-member Senate.
In 2008 elections, House Republicans won a 50-49 majority over Democrats. But the GOP saw its chance to seize power dashed when all 49 Democrats backed Rep. Kent Williams, R-Elizabethton, for speaker. Williams voted for himself. The state Republican Party later threw him out of the party.