Even though speculation continues over who Senator Mike Williams will vote for in January, it appears that GOP threats of retribution should Senator Williams cross party lines again and vote for Lt. Gov. John Wilder, are toothless ones.
Not only have a large number of constituents from the Senator Williams’ home county voiced their support of the Senator, but it also turns out that the Tennessee Senate Republican Caucus may have no official means of punishing Senate members who step out of line.
The GOP Caucus, began a draft proposal to establish rules regulating party votes after Sen. Tim Burchett and Sen. Mike Williams jumped ship in 2005 to vote for Wilder. However, even though the new draft by-laws state that one of the purposes of the Senate GOP Caucus is to elect a Republican Senate Speaker there is no means of punishing Republicans that vote for a Democrat instead.
Without any real way of punishing Senate Republicans that break from the party line, the threats as well as the changes in by-laws are in effect empty ones. Mike Williams and any other republican that wishes to vote their conscience has nothing to fear as far as caucus punishments.
In fact, the only real threat that can be carried out in regards to dissenters, is linked to a rule for the state party that allows the party to run another Republican candidate against incumbents who disagree with leadership.
However, any move to run an additional republican candidate against an incumbent Williams, could wind up splitting the Republican vote and handing democrats a win in a traditionally republican district.
More information on the proposed caucus by-laws can be found in the Nashville’s, The City Paper.
Ain’t nobody gonna beat Senator Mike Williams in that Appalachian district of his from what I am hearing come out of his district instead of the wishful thinking of a few power-mad Republicans from outside his district who want to ass-whip anyone who dares to think for him- or herself.
It’s all just cheap talk unless they are really stupid enough to waste perfectly good money going after one of their own instead of trying to learn what it means to become the Majority Party.
Senator Williams will do what he knows is the right thing for his district and for Tennessee. Period. End of Story. I hope he votes for John Wilder again.
Senator Ramsey, on the other hand, just seems drunk on power and wants Senator Williams to be “Ramsey’s patsy” because Ramsey says he “deserves to be Speaker”.
Jay, I think for the most part you are right on although I wonder what the GOP is willing to do to get rid of Mike. From what I’ve heard and read the party is steamed even if the voters aren’t. They may be willing to risk failure just to get rid of him.