Senator-elect Brian Kelsey
(R-Germantown) will be
considered the State Senate's
conservative lion.(Photo: Memphis
Commercial Appeal/E.W. Scripps)
Brian Kelsey of Germantown has another title this morning in addition to those given to him by the hard Left and soft-in-the-middle Republicans such as "bombthrower," "attention-grabber," or, for the less-creative discontented liberals, "stupid." Kelsey's latest title is "Senator-elect"-which will soon just be Senator Kelsey:
In what turned into a blowout, Republican Brian Kelsey overwhelmed Democrat Adrienne Pakis-Gillon to win Tuesday's special election for the District 31 state Senate seat.
The unofficial final vote tally had Kelsey with 7,120 votes, while Pakis-Gillon trailed with 2,394 votes.
"I'm truly humbled by the opportunity to serve the people in the state Senate," Kelsey said. "The first order of business is to get the budget under control ... and exercise the fiscal responsibility that the people told me to exercise."
Brother Kelsey did not win this election, he was anointed with acclamation by the voters of the 31st District. Democrats will whine about low-voter turnout, but there could have been a 60 per cent turnout yesterday and Brian Kelsey would still be going to the Tennessee Senate. This was not a victory, this was a thorough preview of the coming destruction of the Tennessee Democratic Party. If anyone had doubts that a conservative true believer like Kelsey could win, those doubts are erased. Those who still live in the fantasy world of Democratic relevance will be thrown into reality in a very hard way next November when Brian Kelsey is re-elected to a full term in his own right.
Two other related pieces of election news today are giving Tennesseans a taste of the new Republican order. The Republican Primary (i.e., the de facto election) for Brian Kelsey's old House seat also took place yesterday:
Mark White won the three way Republican contest with John Pellicciotti and Michael Porter.
Unofficials results are:
White 1,851 52%
Pellicciotti 1,556 44%
Porter 121 4%
White will face Democrat Guthrie Castle in the Jan. 12 special general election.
Meanwhile, West Tennessee Blue Dog Democrat Congressman John Tanner has announced that he will not seek re-election, and State Senator Roy Herron-well, he is not running for the Democratic nomination for Governor anymore-now he is running for Congress.
"No road in public life is travelled alone. Betty Ann and our children have sacrificed much over these years, and for them and for me, we say a simple and heartfelt 'thank you.' It has truly been our friends and supporters who have made this journey possible."
Democratic state Sen. Roy Herron tells The Associated Press he is dropping his gubernatorial bid to instead seek the northwest Tennessee congressional seat being vacated by Rep. John Tanner.
Herron, a Dresden attorney, said in a phone interview Tuesday night that representing the 8th Congressional District has long been a goal of his.
This development is said to make Mike "Not Ned Ray" McWherter the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. On the bloody morning after, one tin soldier rides away.
Since so many activist Democrats seemed excited with his election, I'd like to encourage my friends on the other side of the aisle to declare Tennessee Democratic Chairman Chip Forrester Chairman for Life. With Forrester's distinguished record of achievement, Tennesseans can be assured of a perpetual Republican majority, which if Forrester continues in office, will likely be replaced only with the Second Advent of Christ and the permanent establishment of the Kingdom of God.
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