Local GOP Leaders Pledge New Emphasis on Conservative Agenda

Northeast Tennessee legislative leaders pledge to advance several conservative issues in the coming legislative session, some of which have been repeatedly blocked by Democrats.

“Not only is this a huge shift geographically, it’s a huge shift philosophically too,“ said Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey.

Ramsey refers to the decades-long dominance by Democrats from Southwest Tennessee.

State Representative Jason Mumpower (R – Bristol) said the new Republican majority will work to align policy in the Volunteer State with what he believes are conservative principles held by a majority of Tennessee residents.
“No new taxes, better job creation, more family oriented values,” Mumpower said.  “That’s what we’ll be about providing, exactly what the people wanted.“

Lt. Govenor Ramsey said voters should expect:

- greater support for charter schools
- wider freedoms for Tennesseans with gun permits
- tort reform protecting businesses from frivolous lawsuits
- the start of a years-long process toward changing the Tennessee constitution, allowing lawmakers and voters to decide on abortion issues.

But Ramsey and Mumpower said the state’s growing funding shortage will be the main focus for Tennessee lawmakers.  “Money doesn’t grow on trees and we’re not going to be making the situation any worse for the taxpayers of Tennessee, dipping any further into their pockets,“ said Mumpower.

Ramsey predicts a $1 billion dollar budget deficit, a guarantee of funding cuts for programs even in their home turf of Northeast Tennessee.  But he said new-found Republican power will mean new prominence for his home district.  “Let me assure you that one of my goals is to remind people in Nashville that the State of Tennessee does not stop in Knoxville, that we exist here in Northeast Tennessee,“ Ramsey said.