House leader Mumpower endorses Smith in 3rd District primary

State House Majority Leader Jason Mumpower, R-Bristol, today endorsed Robin Smith of Hixson in the 3rd Congressional District GOP primary.

Referring to Mrs. Smith's work as Tennessee Republican Party chairwoman in the 2008 campaign cycle, Rep. Mumpower said "perhaps no one in Tennessee knows greater than I do how hard Robin worked to give Republicans the majority in the Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction."

"It will be safe to say that history will record her tenure as chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party as one of the points where we fundamentally changed the course of our state," Rep. Mumpower said. "In partnership with our caucus and thousands of dedicated grassroots conservatives across Tennessee, we did what many experts said was impossible in 2008. Robin deserves a great deal of credit."

House Republicans gained a 50-49 majority. But the powerful speakership went not to Rep. Mumpower but to Rep. Kent Williams, R-Elizabethton, after all 49 Democrats and Mr. Williams united to elect him speaker.

Mrs. Smith later issued a directive preventing Speaker Williams from running for re-election to the House as a Republican. He said he remains a Republican and has qualified to run as a independent.

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