January 14, 2009 03:10 AM UTC

Republican Gives Wingnuts the Middle Finger in Tennessee

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• by: DavidThi808

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

from DailyKOS

The Republicans — who had just finally won control of the State House for the first time in 40+ years – were suppose to elect their Speaker of the House today.  And failed!

The Tennessee State House has 50 Republicans and 49 Democrats. Well, Rep. Kent Williams (R-TN) got the support of all 49 Democrats plus his own vote to put himself in the Speaker’s chair.

That had to be entertaining. It also talks to the battle for the soul of the GOP that will be occuring in every state in the union.

In the last election, a bunch of belligerent right-wing radicals tried to bully Rep. Williams (a moderate) into taking far-right stands — going so far as to threaten boycotts on his family business, etc.

Well, Rep. Williams had had enough of bullies and blowhards destroying the Republican Party from within. And the Democrats knew it. So the Democrats approached Rep. Williams about being the new House Speaker.

…

A lobbyist at Legislative Plaza is calling it “absolute chaos” up there right now.

The GOP was promising all sorts of abortion votes, 2nd amendment votes, anti-immigrant votes, anti-gay votes, etc. – your basic nightmare right-wing nutjobs run amuck scenario.

Think of the fun the people on TenneseePols are having right now 🙂