In the wake of the Republican victory in Tennessee House District 62 last October, there was a warning published in this space that the Tennessee House Republican Caucus needed to be on their guard against an attitude of triumphalism in the ranks that could undermine the party's excellent chance of victory in the General Election in November. Outgoing House Republican Leader Jason Mumpower warned his members that the presumption of victory in November and attempts to focus on who the next Speaker of the House should be could cost the GOP the majority because just as with Democrats in 2008, Republican presumptions of victory and internal divisions could be their undoing.
That's not to say that Republicans aren't going to gain seats or that the strong conservative undercurrent to the current election cycle won't produce results for the GOP in Tennessee-the predictions that Republicans could gain as many as three to five seats in the Tennessee House are still likely accurate- right now. Republicans must be careful, however, because this primary season has exposed the party's internal divisions for the voters to see and the opposition to pounce on-especially when "establishment" figures decide to try and take down conservative incumbent Republicans in primaries like Rep. Joe Carr (R-Lascassas) or Rep. Chad Faulkner (R-Lutrell) demoralizing the conservative base that Republicans count on for support in a General Election Statewide.
Republicans must come together behind the conservative principles that got them a majority in Nashville to begin with, or they could risk losing that majority in the long run.
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