State Senate Seat Still in Question

The Senate’s top Republican says Tim Barnes’ win over write-in incumbent Rosalind Kurita may not hold up.

Ron Ramsey rose to be the leader of the state Senate with the help of Kurita two years ago when she cast the swing vote that made him Speaker. Now, that favor may pay off again. Ramsey says the election was stolen from Kurita after she was stripped of her 19 vote win in the primary by the state Democratic Party. He says the Senate may refuse to seat Barnes.

“It’s not something I want to go on a two year prolonged fight over. But the constitution does say that, as Senators, we are the sole judge of who we seat in the state Senate, so we’re looking into all our options.”

Democrat Barnes doubts Republicans will truly push the matter.

“It would be such an extraordinary measure and set such a bad precedent that I don’t anticipate that will happen.”

Rosalind Kurita did not return phone calls seeking comment. Ramsey says a decision on whether to pursue legally refusing to seat Barnes will be made in the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, if the fight to put Kurita back in the Senate fails, she could return to Capitol Hill as a constitutional officer.

Speaker Ramsey mentioned her name as a potential candidate for Secretary of State – one of three officer positions that legislators will appoint in January. Ironically, Kurita has been a long-time proponent of having Tennessee voters, not legislators, elect the constitutional officers.