Metro Pulse: No Confidence Vote in Mumpower

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No Confidence Vote in Mumpower
The state representative has lost control of House Republican caucus
http://www.metropulse.com/news/2009/mar/18/no-confidence-vote-mumpower/

By Frank Cagle
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Back in December I wrote that if state Rep. Jason Mumpower negotiated all the pitfalls and indeed delivered himself 50 votes on opening day he would have demonstrated the political skills necessary to be Speaker of the House.



Rep. Jason Mumpower, R-Bristol
District 3 — Johnson and part of Sullivan Counties

He didn’t. It was a devastating blow when Republican Kent Williams joined 49 Democrats to make himself speaker in Mumpower’s stead. It was also a blow to the Republican caucus, the party, and thousands of Republicans who had worked so hard for so many years to overcome Democratic hegemony in the House.

Reeling from that loss, Mumpower and his allies have been unable to appreciate subsequent developments. Republicans chair half the House committees. Republicans have replaced the constitutional officers. They will control the state election commission; they have majorities on all the local election commissions. They control the state building commission. Republicans will see bills that have been bottled up in committee for years coming to the floor for a vote.

On the other hand, Mumpower has had his feelings hurt.

It is regrettable, though understandable, that Mumpower has tried to throw the speaker out of the Republican caucus, out of the party, and reduce his caucus to minority status again. It is likely Mumpower reached the apogee of his political career with the 49 votes for speaker. To come back after such a defeat would be difficult. But his attitude since losing the speaker fight has almost guaranteed it.

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