Senate Republicans plan leadership contests
Senate Republicans have scheduled Dec. 3 for their leadership contests.
With Senate Speaker Randy McNally not expected to have opposition, the major race is the contest between Sens. Mike Bell of Riceville and Jack Johnson of Franklin for the No. 2 spot. That's the majority leader post which was left vacant when former leader Mark Norris of Collierville was finally confirmed by the U.S. Senate as a federal judge for West Tennessee.
Senate Democrats, who only hold five of the 33-member chamber's seats, will meet Dec. 4.
Caucus Chairman Jeff Yarbro of Nashville is likely to become minority leader after Democrat Lee Harris of Memphis didn't seek re-election to the Senate and instead ran successfully to become Shelby County mayor.
Harris' successor, former Rep. Raumesh Akbari of Memphis, is seen as becoming the caucus chairman.
Expected GOP House speaker Casada: ready for action
As Republican Glen Casada was nominated for speaker last week by the House GOP Caucus, the Franklin representative made it clear - if it wasn't already - that his public leadership style will differ from that of his predecessor, Republican Speaker Beth Harwell of Nashville.
And he has some goals he intends to press. Casada's pitches to fellow Republicans included a call for the House to assume a greater role in formulating the state's annual spending plan. That comes with Gov.-elect Bill Lee, a fellow Franklin Republican, taking office on Jan. 19.
Casada later told reporters that the Tennessee Constitution is "very clear" about the role of the state House. "And, we are the people's body," he added. "And I think Gov. Lee will be very comfortable with a partnership with the state House."
Harwell eight years ago defeated Casada in GOP Caucus elections for the speaker nomination and went on to become Tennessee's first woman speaker. Publicly, she was often guarded and cautious, although lawmakers say that in private she can be tough.
She didn't seek re-election to the House this year, instead mounting an ultimately unsuccessful bid for governor, losing to Lee in a four-person GOP primary.
Asked later by reporters about Casada's stance, Lee, who is working on assembling his cabinet, filling other top posts and preparing for his first legislative session, said, "I have no idea that that's going to happen. What I do know is that we're going to be working together and we've already started that process.
"I believe that we can work together as an executive branch and a legislative branch to advance the common good for Tennesseans," Lee added.
Adam Kleinheider, spokesman for Senate Speaker Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, said the "General Assembly, both the House and the Senate, have always taken a prominent role in thoroughly reviewing the governor's appropriations bill.
"Lt. Governor McNally expects these thorough reviews to continue under Governor Lee," Kleinheider added.
Before becoming Senate speaker in 2017, McNally had been Senate Finance Committee chairman. In Tennessee, the Senate speaker also is the state's lieutenant governor.