Posted on 01/19/2007 9:50:41 PM PST by SmithL
NASHVILLE - Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey named Democrats to three of the top 10 Senate leadership positions Friday while assuring that Republicans have numerical control in all major committees.
Senate Democrats, meanwhile, deadlocked 8-8 in a vote on whether to overhaul their own leadership structure. In effect, the tie vote derailed an attempt to oust Sen. Joe Haynes of Nashville as Democratic Caucus chairman.
Ramsey, the first Republican to serve as lieutenant governor and speaker of the Senate since 1869, named Sen. Rosalind Kurita, D-Clarksville, as Senate speaker pro tempore.
He insisted that the appointment was not a "reward" to Kurita, the only Democrat to cross party lines and vote for his election as lieutenant governor.
"There was never any specific promise," said Ramsey. "She only asked that I be fair to Democrats."
Kurita will replace former Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Williams, R-Maynardville, who was named to the post two years ago after crossing party lines to elect Democrat John Wilder as lieutenant governor. Thus, Republican Williams was appointed by a Democrat and replaced by a Democrat appointed by a Republican.
"Maybe there's some irony in that, but it's purely coincidental," said Ramsey.
The speaker pro tempore post and nine major committee chairs are considered the top leadership positions. Democrats will hold two committee chairs under Ramsey compared to five under Wilder's appointments in 2005.
The Senate has a 17-16 Republican majority this year, the same as in the last session.
The Democrats are Sen. Thelma Harper, D-Nashville, who will continue to serve as chairman of the Government Operations Committee, and Sen. Tommy Kilby, D-Wartburg, who will chair the Environment and Conservation Committee.
There is also something of a power-sharing arrangement on the Senate Finance Committee, where Sen. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, will hold the title of chairman. Ramsey said, however, that Sen. Douglas Henry, D-Nashville, will effectively serve as a co-chairman of the panel.
Henry has chaired the panel overseeing all state spending and taxes for almost three decades. He will now hold the official titles of vice chairman and chairman emeritus.
Other committee chairs are:
Meanwhile, a special meeting of the Senate Democratic Caucus was called Friday amid reports that Herron had moved to oust Haynes as caucus chair. Haynes has held the post since 1996 and was re-elected at a caucus meeting just two weeks ago.
The threshold vote was on the question of whether new partisan leadership elections should be held. The matter was debated at length, with Haynes declaring this was the "absolute worst time" to change things and Democrats instead should "circle the wagons."
The vote on whether to have elections wound up as an 8-8 tie. Since a clear majority was needed for the motion to carry, it failed and Haynes will remain as chair - at least until another meeting is called.
Can you say "consequences", Mike? I knew you could.
I'm really curious. I knew Bill Frist when he was working in Boston. Nice guy but not terribly assertive. How is he perceived in Tennessee?
Good doctor, nice guy, and not terribly assertive.
Doesn't surprise me at all. Makes me wonder why I even vote in the local elections.
It will remain to be seen how Mr. Ramsey and Co. are planning on dealing with state revenue issues...
Did Frist really work in Boston? At what hospital(s)?
I worked at one of the major Boston hospitals from the early 70's to the early 90's and I know he wasn't at my hospital during that time.
FReep-mail if you wish to respond but want more privacy.
Politics and Payback, pure and simple.
Two years ago, the Republicans had a majority, too, but RINO Williams crossed party lines and voted for Wilder as Speaker of the Senate/Lt. Governor. There was a good chance he would have voted the same, this year, but Kurita stole his thunder. By being the only Democrat who voted for Ramsey, she made Williams' vote irrelevant.
Williams is in no danger of losing his seat, even if he does change parties, but he is clearly being punished for his support of Wilder.
Kurita is in no danger of ever changing parties, but she is being rewarded for helping Ramsey. By supporting Ramsey, she now has far more influence in the Senate than if she had voted with her party and elected Wilder.
Actually, I think both Williams and Kurita are vulnerable to primary challenges. Williams has been at the top of those since his reelection in '04. Kurita is practically persona non grata in the Dem caucus.
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