A Democrat is apparently throwing his name into the ring as an alternative to current (forever?) Democrat Lt. Gov. John Wilder.
Sen. Joe Haynes (D-Nashville) recently announced that he is challenging Wilder, 85, who has served as Lt Gov/Speaker of the Senate for 36 years.
Wilder hasn't been challenged by a Democrat in 20 years.
Today's news means that even some Democrats are thinking that Wilder's 36-year tenure as speaker should end. The Democrat nominee will be selected at a Jan. 4 caucus.
Actually, it is Republicans who hold a 17-16 majority in the State Senate and the Republicans have already selected their nominee for the Lt Gov/Speaker of the Senate position, Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville).
What is keeping Ramsey from a 17-16 win in the race for Lt Gov/Speaker is Republican Sen. Mike Williams of Maynardville.
Williams, a Republican, is withholding his support from Ramsey, leaving Ramsey one vote shy of a win.
The position of Lt. Gov. is important because the person who holds that position is next in line to the governorship.
Wilder is certainly a powerful individual. Two years ago, Wilder got Williams' vote and then rewarded Williams with the position of Speaker Pro Tem.
Wilder is cranky. He is sometimes disoriented and always fiercely loyal to his political friends.
With new indictments announced today against former State Sen. John Ford, Wilder's rambling "prayer" for his Senate family after the May 2005 Tennessee Waltz arrests comes to mind.
Wilder's prayer on the floor of the Senate wasn't about enforcing the law or about the shame of corruption or about hoping that justice would be served. Wilder expressed no concern about the public. Wilder was concerned about his "family."
The Tennessean reported:
The legislature largely closed ranks around its indicted members yesterday, starting with a prayer by Lt. Gov. John Wilder condemning the tactics of federal agents who arrested seven people in the Operation Tennessee Waltz sting...
Wilder, who has been the leader of the state Senate since 1971, prayed from the well of the Senate chamber and let it be known that he considered his very family to be under attack...
"Money was being offered as bait to put somebody in jail," Wilder said in prayer to God. "That's wrong, and that's not Your way."
Earth to Wilder: Who forced members of the Senate family to take the money?
Didn't any of the indicted Senate family have the ability and the integrity to say "no"?
Several members of Wilder's Senate family have now pled guilty or been convicted. Others are still waiting to go to trial.
Wilder himself is tied to a land deal involving State Sen. Jerry Cooper, who was indicted in August 2006.
In addition to questions about Wilder's age, his connection to the Cooper land deal may be another factor in the move by some Democrats to mount a challenge to the Head of the Senate family in 2007.
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