by Karl Kurtz
All three of the leadership battles that we reported on last week were resolved today.
In Tennessee, Democratic Sen. John Wilder (pictured), the longest-serving legislative leader in the country, was toppled from his post as Lt. Governor and Speaker of the Senate, a position that he had held for 36 years. He had retained the position during the last biennium despite a 17-16 majority for the Republicans, thanks to a Republican defector. Today he was replaced by Republican Sen. Ron Ramsey, previously the majority leader, on a vote of 18-15, with one Democrat and all of the Republicans voting for Ramsey. Rep. Jimmy Naifeh (D) was reelected speaker of the House of Representatives.
In Alabama, the incumbent Senate President Pro Tem, Lowell Barron (D), withdrew from consideration for the position when he was confronted with a coalition of six Democrats and all of the Republican members who committed to electing Sen. Jim Preuitt (D) as the pro tem. After Barron's withdrawl, though, Preuitt was not able to hold the coalition, and the Senate elected Sen. Hinton Mitchem as President Pro Tem.
Outgoing Alabama Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley, who would have normally presided over the senate's organizational session, was unable to do so due to a stroke that she suffered recently. Secretary of the Senate McDowell Lee presided instead. Rep. Seth Hammett (D) was reelected speaker of the House of Representatives.
In Texas, the challenger to Republican Speaker Tom Craddick from within his own party, Rep. Jim Pitts, withdrew from the race after losing a procedural vote, 80-68, and Craddick was eventually reelected speaker on a vote of 121-27.
He had retained the position during the last biennium despite a 17-16 majority for the Republicans, thanks to a Republican defector.
Actually, he had two last time: Mike Williams and Tim Burchett.
Posted by: Kleinheider | January 10, 2007 at 06:16 AM