(NASHVILLE, TN), December 9, 2008 – Senate Republicans met Thursday to elect their officers for the 107th General Assembly, where they voted unanimously to nominate Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) to retain his top leadership post as Senate Speaker/ Lt. Governor.  Senate Republicans also voted to keep Senator Mark Norris (R-Collierville) as Senate Majority Leader and chose Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) as Caucus Chairman, a post formerly held by Congressman-elect Diane Black (R-Gallatin).

     Senate Republicans now number 20 of the 33 members of the Tennessee Senate after gaining a new seat in the November election.  Ramsey was nominated by Senator Randy McNally who credited the Lt. Governor with five new Republican gains since he was elected to the top leadership post.

     “We have strong majorities now in both the House and the Senate,” Lt. Governor Ramsey said.  “We have an historic opportunity and responsibility to make sure we do what we said we would do.”

     Majority Leader Mark Norris was re-elected by acclamation.  Lt. Governor Ramsey made the nomination saying, “Leader Norris has been extremely diligent, especially in finding the fine details and articulating them well on the Senate floor.

     The only contested election was for the Senate Republican Caucus Chairman with Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) winning that post over Senator Bo Watson (R-Chattanooga).  Afterwards, Senator Watson was elected unanimously to the position of Majority Floor Leader.

     “We have a huge task on our shoulders, but we will do it as a team,” Chairman Ketron told members of the Caucus after being elected.  “We must pay attention to what the voters have told us and keep focused on moving in the right direction.”

     Others re-elected to leadership positions in the Senate Republican Caucus were Judiciary Chairman Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) as Treasurer, Commerce Chairman Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) as Secretary  and Conservation and Environment Committee Chairman Steve Southerland (R-Morristown) as Chaplain. 
  
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