Aside from Cohen's expected massacre of Tomeka Hart's campaign and political career and the victories of Cheyenne Johnson and Ed Stanton in their countywide races, let me just say that the Green Party is starting to look real good to me right now.
The GOP achieved their mission of eliminating white liberals from the General Assembly with the primary defeats of Senator Beverly Marrero (D-30), Jeanne Richardson (formerly D-89, lost in D-90) and Mike Kernell (D-93). Wait, you say, we still have Jim Kyle, right? Bestill my beating heart.
Marrero went out heroically, taking 45% from Kyle in what was mostly his old district thanks to the support of our friend and Congressman. It wasn't enough, though, and Kyle survives again. Not that he's been doing much else lately.
Jeanne Richardson knew moving into 90 to run against another established incumbent, John Deberry, would be an uphill battle, as John had a warchest from having had almost no opposition over his 20-year career. That was compounded when out of state PACs poured money into his campaign to the point where he was able to buy TV ads on Channel 5's Olympic coverage. For a freaking state HOUSE race, people. Welcome to the world of Citizens United, folks. And to think I used to applaud John for his integrity.
And, of course, Mike Kernell's 38-year run in the legislature ended at the hands of GA Hardaway. GA has always been beyond nice to me, and I congratulate him, because he clearly worked under the radar and caught us off guard. He did pull off that stunt with the mailer featuring a quote from Randy Wade. (Hey, Randy, I hope GA can put you on the payroll, you know? Just sayin'.) But that mailer didn't win the race for GA, his hard work did, and hats off to him for it.
Mike will be fine, he handled last night better than I did, frankly, but that's Mike.
What happened on the GOP side statewide is, frankly, frightening. The NRA claimed another victim in Rep. Debra Maggart, who will never be mistaken by a liberal by anyone with a functioning brain, but who was apparently inefficiently supplicant to their whims. THE DEAN reports that SIX Republican incumbents lost last night. Besides Maggart, House Education Chair Richard Montgomery, who was also backed by Governor Haslam and soon-to-be EX-Speaker Beth Harwell, got beat, as did Julia "Hooters Girl" Hurley of Lenoir City, Dale Ford of Jonesborough, Don Miller of Morristown, and Linda Elam of Mount Juliet, who lost to former Rep. Susan Lynn.
With the exception of Lynn, they all lost to Tea Party-backed candidates, which means that the GOP Caucus moved even FURTHER to the right, if that is even possible. This means also, as I alluded earlier, that the historic reign of Speaker Beth Harwell is likely to end after one term, and probably at the hands of Glen "I Think They Should Just Get A Job" Casada. You thought this past session was insane? Friends, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
To be honest, after last night, it makes anyone with a functioning brain and heart question continuing to live in Memphis and Tennessee. I have lived here 40 years and I have never felt more ashamed to be a Tennessean, more so for what happened outside Memphis than what happened here. The backwoods, buffoonish image of Tennessee was reinforced last night, and we are all the worse for it.
I need a break, and I am taking one. I'll be back next week.
3 comments:
This could be an opportunity for Democrats. If The Republicans choose Casada, then Harwell might be able to form a "not too rightwing" republican/democratic coalition to get re-elected....of course with concessions including democrtic Chairs.
Dwayne, I believe those folks our age who remember when it happened before might refer to that as "pulling a Wilder"! :-)
And also, the Naifeh engineering of Kent Williams as speaker. Anyway, it was done in TX a few years ago and could be the only way our delegation can get any influence.
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