Posted on 01/15/2009 1:04:21 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj
GOP candidates, including two from Shelby, will fill top state slots
By Richard Locker (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Originally published 11:30 a.m., January 15, 2009 Updated 12:26 p.m., January 15, 2009
NASHVILLE — Republicans in the Tennessee legislature today swept from office all three of the state’s top constitutional officers and elected longtime Republican officials — two of them from Shelby County — to replace them.
Flexing its political muscle for the first time since the stunning defeat Tuesday of the Republican Caucus’s nominee for House speaker, the legislature’s new GOP majority elected:
* Shelby County Commissioner David H. Lillard Jr. of Germantown as state treasurer. He succeeds Dale Sims, the Democrat who has served as the state’s chief banker since 2003. Lillard is a lawyer and partner in the Memphis law firm of Burch, Porter & Johnson where he focuses his work on bond finance and tax law.
* Former Bartlett state representative Tré Hargett as secretary of state, replacing Democrat Riley Darnell, a former state legislator who has been the state’s chief records-keeper since 1993.
* Nashville lawyer and GOP fundraiser Justin P. Wilson as state comptroller. He succeeds John Morgan, who has been comptroller since 1999. Morgan was top assistant to the previous comptroller for 10 years.
The election of the constitutional officers occurred in a joint House-Senate meeting today after being delayed by partisan wrangling from Wednesday, when it was originally scheduled.
The three offices, which each carry an annual salary of $180,000, are the top positions in state government not elected by the public at large. Along with officials in the governor’s administration, they serve together on several top state boards and agencies, including the boards that govern higher education; the State Funding Board, which estimates the state revenue for budget purposes and oversees finances; and the State Building Commission, which reviews and approves all state government building projects and leases.
The comptroller’s office audits all of state government and its agencies, and oversees local government audits. It evaluates the performance of all state agencies and reports its findings to the legislature for review.
The treasurer manages more than $30 billion in state funds, including the state pension fund.
The secretary of state’s office is the primary repository of official documents, including business and charitable organization registrations and other commercial filings.
All three elections were along party lines except that Hargett defeated Darnell 70-61, with the votes of all 69 Republicans plus Democrat Dennis Ferguson of Harriman. Lillard and Wilson were both elected on 69-62 votes. One Democrat, Rep. Les Winningham of Huntsville, is at home attending to his seriously ill wife.
Hargett, 39, represented the Bartlett area in the state House of Representatives from 1997 through 2006 and led House Republicans. He did not seek re-election in 2006, accepted a transfer by his employer, a private ambulance and emergency services company, to Knoxville. Last year, he moved to Nashville when the General Assembly appointed him one of the four full-time directors of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, which he chairs.
Lillard, 55, has been a member the Shelby County Commission since 2002 and served a term as its chairman last year. He served on the Shelby County Election Commission from 1994 to 2002, and is an assistant city attorney for both Germantown and Collierville.
Wilson, 64, served as commissioner of environment and deputy to the governor under former Republican governor Don Sundquist.
Follow-up to situation in TN. We score a victory today.
Sounds like good news. Hope they are all conservatives.
Can anyone in TN tell me more about the state of the state? Things like taxes, attitudes toward conservatives, living conditions, that sort of thing?
These are pertinent questions toward future events, mind you, and thanks in advance for any serious replies.
Hargett is a former House Minority Leader. I know little about Lillard. The one I have a concern about is Wilson, who was the only applicant for the job (personally I’m surprised he won, since he was a weak link and there was talk that Republicans would vote to elect the Dem incumbent for that particular office). Wilson worked for our odious RINO ex-Governor. I’d have had reservations voting for him myself. Of course, if he’s a dud, we just kick him out in 2011. As I said, these are the first Republicans to occupy these offices in 140 years. Now if only we could kick out the Attorney-General...
Well, we don’t have an income tax (unconstitutional, although there is a dubious Halls Tax, which is a de facto one), our sales tax is rather high (nearly 10% - and on everything). This state is becoming more Conservative/GOP, went against the mass-insanity of the national election (where the False Messiah was reviled nearly as much as McGovern was in ‘72 by the voters). Although Nashville and Memphis proper are Dem, the suburbs are all heavily GOP, so it’s a good bet to move here if you’re so inclined. For recreation, you got everything from the Mississippi clear through to the Great Smokies. Lots of state parks, you name it. I don’t know what else you want to know, just ask.
the article said that voting was along party lines, except for a Dem that voted with the Republicans for one of the offices. Does that mean that Kent Williams voted with the Republicans today, or did he officially switch to the Democrats?
One other thing to add to what fieldmarshaldj told you. In Memphis, we have the King. He’s laying by the pond at Graceland.
Stay clear of anywhere south of Jackson.
Memphis and burbs are filled with crime.
Williams won’t switch parties, he’ll have to be kicked out of the caucus. As far as I know, he apparently voted for the 3 Republicans today (not that it would’ve mattered). We had just 1 Democrat (one actually elected as one) who voted for Hargett for Sec of State (I don’t know why). One Dem was absent, so any chicanery was going to be difficult. It’s a very poisoned atmosphere because of Judas Kent in Nashville, to say the least.
Thanks for thus far, fellas!
Anyone know about Knoxville/Oak Ridge?
Actually we have 2 kings in Memphis, the other being King Willie.
TFTP! I hope we drill Williams out of the party so he cannot continue to claim he is a Republican. Didn’t he sign something previously that said which way he would vote?
It is going to be hard fighting all the way; a yard at a time, one yard at a time. Savor the moment: it's not just our victory, it's also their loss. ;)
I try my best to not think about the “other king”.
this is good, hopefully this will spread, we took LA and now TN.
we have to get control of FL, Martinez is on his way out so we need a good candidate. I live in the north east of FL and would love to have Mica run
Knoxville is OK (well, at least better than Nashville and Memphis proper), although has a RINO Mayor who wants to be Governor. Oak Ridge, I believe, is Dem-leaning (probably due to the gov’t employees). East of Knoxville, you’re close to the mountain recreation and about a day’s drive from the coast or DC.
Yeah, in TN, we got 2 Kings (Elvis and Willie), 1 Pharoah (Bredesen), 1 Boss (Naifeh), and 1 Meatpuppet (Kent Williams).
Yup, he signed a pledge, made promises, right up to the Speakers’ vote. All lies, all worthless.
Somebody on a local website suggested he go home and do what former RINO State Rep. Westmoreland did to himself after he was caught exposing himself to some teen girls in FL (he offed himself). I said that would require honor, and to say you have less honor than a pervert really speaks to one’s character.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.