Tennessee Democratic Party highlights the disarray in the Republican Party nationally and in Tennessee
National Republicans in disarray
Republicans are unraveling as the new year begins, both nationally and on the state level. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele has acknowledged it’s unlikely the GOP will take back the U.S. House of Representatives. He even went so far as to say that Republicans were not ready to lead anyway. Democrats outnumber Republicans in the House by a count of 256-178. One seat remains vacant.
Steele, who launched a new book this week:
- admitted that Republicans would not only fail to take back the House this year, but also told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that he didn’t know if Republicans were ready to lead the country anyway.
- ignited an inter-party feud - drawing fire from GOP strategists and the NRCC who blasted Steele for his assessment of the GOP’s chances in November and accused him of jeopardizing fundraising and organizing efforts.
- criticized in his new book - by name - former Republican Presidents, his party’s nominee for President in 2008 and Republicans in Congress, just to name a few.
- garnered the criticism of the Congressional Native American Caucus, which is calling on Steele to apologize for his use of a racist phrase.
- suggested that if he weren’t RNC Chairman, he’d “be out there with the tea partiers.”
Tennessee Republicans in same boat
In Tennessee, Republicans are in a similar pickle. The Tennessee Republican Party is refusing to let Speaker of the House Kent Williams seek re-election as a Republican this year. Tennessee Republicans gained a 50-49 majority in the House after the November 2008 election. With the help of all 49 Democrats, Republican Rep. Kent Williams was elected Speaker of the House. There are currently 50 Republicans, including Williams, and 48 Democrats. One seat remains vacant.
But Republicans, more interested in partisan politics than governing, cried foul and kicked Williams out of their party. The effort was led by former Tennessee Republican Party Chair Robin Smith, who spearheaded the party’s despicable campaign tactics in 2008.
Some of those campaign tactics included the dissemination of inflammatory propaganda against Democratic candidates across the state. Smith is currently seeking the 3rd Congressional District seat held by U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp. Wamp is seeking the Republican Party’s gubernatorial nomination.
Current Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chris Devaney reaffirmed the decision to oust Williams earlier this week by sending a letter reminding the Carter County election administrator that Williams cannot appear on a ballot in Tennessee as a Republican.
Republicans in the General Assembly have also tried to delay the purchase of new optical scan voting machines that count paper ballots as a way to verify fair and accurate elections. Despite passage of the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act and a judge’s ruling to proceed, Republican legislators indicate they intend to pass new legislation delaying the purchase of the new voting equipment until after the 2010 elections.
Republican lawmakers have also pushed a campaign in the state Legislature reasserting state sovereignty and urging the federal government to stop usurping its constitutional authority. Some Republican state legislators have already asked the state’s attorney general to sue the federal government over proposed health-care reform legislation, which is still being hashed out by Congress.