"Absolute Chaos"

Here’s what I’m hearing from Legislative Plaza…

In the last election, a bunch of belligerent right-wing radicals tried to bully Rep. Kent Williams (a moderate Republican) 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.

Rep. Williams said, “yes,” and history was made, just minutes ago.

Rep. Gary Odom (D-Nashville), who grew up in Williams’s district in Carter County, nominated Williams, calling him, “A man who epitomizes putting principle over partisanship.”

House Speaker Williams promises to select committee chairs based on “ability and seniority – mostly ability” (my source’s words, not necessarily Williams’s).

Sounds like we can definitely expect some Democrats to hold chairmanships. No one saw that as a remote possibility just two hours ago – except maybe the engineers of this shocking political twist.

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