One day after the Tennessee House Republican Caucus met and voted “no confidence” in his continued leadership by a margin of 45-24, Speaker Glen Casada (R-Franklin) released a statement announcing he intends to resign as Speaker at a date to be determined in cooperation with the Caucus leadership.
Casada released this brief statement on Tuesday morning:
“When I return to town on June 3, I will meet with Caucus leadership to determine the best date for me to resign as Speaker so that I can help facilitate a smooth transition.”
Casada did not indicate whether he would continue to serve as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing parts of Williamson County.
Though Casada had legal options available to him to hold on to his Speakership, Tennessee Star political editor Steve Gill observed on Tuesday morning’s Tennessee Star Report radio program, broadcast weekday mornings on 98.3 FM and 1510 WLAC that Casada was “a political dead man walking.”
The entire Republican House leadership, Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, and Gov. Bill Lee have all called on Casada to resign.
Shortly after Casada released his statement, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) issued this statement:
“Speaker Casada announcing his intent to resign is the right decision for the legislature, the Republican Party and the state. I commend him for it. Now we move forward. I am committed to working with leadership in the House to help restore the trust that has been lost in any way I can.”
The jockeying now begins among the members of the Tennessee House Republican Caucus to determine who will succeed Casada as Speaker.
[…] State Rep. Casada (R-Franklin) said in late May he would resign as speaker after House Republicans voted “no confidence” by a margin of 45-24, The Tennessee Star reported. […]
[…] as Speaker at a date to be determined in cooperation with the Caucus leadership, The Tennessee Star reported Tuesday. Casada did not indicate whether he would continue to serve as a member of the Tennessee […]
While it’s not a “win” for the self-proclaimed “Progressives”, it is a loss for the Republicans.
This story shows how a fear of loud voices can cause a person to fall. Yes, Mr. Casada made many errors in judgement in “covering up” for his chief of staff. However, there wouldn’t have been as much to fear if there hadn’t been a group of rabble-rousers screaming form the other side of the aisle. The technique of undermining an authority figure’s ability seems to be a popular one in many levels of the Democratic playbook. (I am still waiting to see how a racist group like the “Black Caucus of the Tennessee General Assembly” is allowed to make use of public facilities.)
Of course, there will be another Republican to take the seat, so the victory is short-lived, and those same rabble-rousers will have to start at square one…