Republican caucus considers proxy vote in officer election.
Image: Sen. Ken Yager, left, a Kingston Republican, says GOP Senate leaders are considering allowing Sen. Brent Taylor to vote by proxy in the GOP caucus election to be Senate Speaker. Sen. Jack Johnson, right, of Franklin, is a candidate. Image Credit: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout.
***Note from The Tennessee Conservative – this article posted here for informational purposes only.
By Sam Stockard [Tennessee Lookout -CC BY-NC-ND 4.0] –
Intrigue is ramping up in advance of a Senate Republican Caucus vote that will choose the next lieutenant governor, the person first in line to succeed an incapacitated governor.
Caucus Chairman Ken Yager confirmed Thursday leaders are considering allowing Sen. Brent Taylor, if he wins the 9th District congressional race next week, to vote by proxy in the caucus officers decision, an atypical move.
Taylor’s vote is needed by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson of Franklin, who’s trying to ward off Sen. Paul Bailey of Sparta for the state’s second most important political job.
The conflict comes up because the state Senate Republican vote is set for Nov. 10, the same day a congressional caucus election is scheduled in Washington, D.C. Presumably, Taylor would have to be in the nation’s capital if he defeats Democrat Rep. Justin Pearson this week.
The caucus vote in Nashville will decide the outcome because Senate Republicans hold a 27-6 supermajority over Democrats.
“The subject has been discussed, but no decision has been made,” Yager said Thursday. He couldn’t tell how much support exists within the caucus for a move to let Taylor’s attorney cast a vote in his place.
Yager, who said he wants more discussion before deciding whether he would support the move, couldn’t recall anyone being allowed to vote by proxy previously.
Taylor, who is also running in the District 31 state Senate race against Democrat candidate David Weatherspoon, is believed to be backing Johnson of Franklin over Bailey. Taylor declined to say whom he’s supporting and pointed out contested caucus races are done by secret ballot.
The race is extremely tight as the candidates battle for 14 votes, the majority needed to replace outgoing Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, who is stepping down from the legislature after nearly 50 years.
Two to three caucus members are uncommitted, and the competitors are trying to maintain their support, sort of like keeping squirrels in a cage.
The discussion about letting Taylor vote absentee marks another effort to give Johnson an advantage in the caucus vote.
Leaders kicked around the possibility of removing Sen. Janice Bowling from the caucus after she endorsed independent gubernatorial candidate David Hatley instead of the Republican nominee, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, the odds-on favorite to win Tuesday.
Bowling recently told the Lookout she doesn’t believe the caucus has any “basis” to remove her, and it doesn’t appear leadership will try to kick her out before the vote. There is a chance, though, they could remove her afterward, even if it makes them look a little heavy-handed.
