Three of top 10 Senate posts go to Democrats

Ramsey names Kurita speaker pro tem, says it wasn't 'reward' for vote

By TOM HUMPHREY, KnoxNews.com
January 20, 2007

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:

● Sen. Steve Southerland, R-Morristown, who will lead the Commerce Committee. The panel was formerly headed by Sen. Jerry Cooper, D-Morrison.

● Sen. Jamie Woodson, R-Knoxville, will continue to chair the Education Committee, as she did in the last legislative session under Wilder.

● Sen. Mike Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, who chairs the State and Local Government Committee. The post was previously held by Democrat Steve Cohen of Memphis, who left his Senate seat after being elected to Congress.

● Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mount Juliet, who leads the Judiciary Committee. The panel typically is headed by a lawyer. Ramsey said Beavers is familiar with the legal system because she has worked as a court reporter. The post was previously held by Republican Curtis Person of Memphis, who did not seek re-election.

● Sen. Rusty Crowe, R-Johnson City, will chair the General Welfare Committee. He replaces Sen. Roy Herron, D-Dresden.

● Sen. Jim Tracy, R-Shelbyville, will chair the Transportation Committee. He replaces Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, who is now Senate majority leader.

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.