TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Nov 17, 2016

Tennessee state House Speaker Beth Harwell staved off a challenge today as Republicans voted to keep her in leadership, the Tennessean reports. Harwell, who has been speaker since 2011, defeated Rep. Jimmy Matlock of Lenoir City by a 40-30 vote. Republicans also returned Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin, to the post of majority leader by a vote of 42-29. In the state Senate, Republicans unanimously nominated Randy McNally of Oak Ridge to be the next speaker. If elected by the full chamber in January, he also will serve as lieutenant governor, taking over for the retiring Ron Ramsey. Other GOP leaders were returned to office with Sen. Mark Norris of Collierville approved as majority leader and Sen. Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro approved as caucus chairman, the Nashville Post reports.