GOP backing Bryson for Secretary of State?

Submitted by R. Neal on Wed, 2008/11/12 - 11:00am.

Maybe the state legislature can accomplish what Tennessee Republican voters wouldn't: Electing Jim Bryson to a statewide office.

Bryson suffered what may be the worst defeat in state history after being rejected overwhelmingly by GOP voters in the 2006 governor's election. Now, Bryson appears to be the front runner for Secretary of State when the new GOP controlled state legislature convenes in January and elects state constitutional officers.

During his disastrous campaign for governor in 2006, Bryson charged the Bredesen administration with corruption, citing alleged ties with lobbyists. The charges backfired when Phil Williams at News Channel 5 in Nashville revealed that Bryson was a paid consultant for TennCare providers while he was on the State Senate's powerful TennCare Oversight Committee. You can see the full report here.



You know...

the only Tennessee Secretary of State whose name I can recall is Gentry Crowell. Hopefully, the GOP won't drop the ball with their pick as the Dems did with that guy.

I also vaguely remember being an interested eavesdropper to a vehement debate in the S&S as to whether or not Tennessee's Secretary of State in 1864 should be added to the list of Governors of Tennessee. On the pro side, Andrew Johnson, military governor at the time, was appointed Vice President and the Secretary of State was the highest ranking state officer still available for service. On the con side, the man never attempted to execute any of the powers of the office nor did he swear an oath. It was a bit of state history I was completely unfamiliar with. I have no idea who the SoS was at the time and won't cheat by trying to Google him.

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