Turner: More Moderate Republicans Will Prevail Next Year

A state Democratic leader says Republicans will have to tone down some of their stances next year, if they want to be reelected.

House Democratic Caucus Leader Mike Turner says Tennessee Republicans are split into factions, and in many respects the more extreme prevailed this spring. But Turner doesn’t expect that to last, going into next year’s election.

“Tennessee is a middle-of-the-road state, I mean we’ve always been a middle-of-the-road state. And I think that’s what we need to be. Now if the Republicans get back to the middle of the road, they could end up ruling for a long time in this state. But I truly believe that if they take the course they’re taking now, we’ll be back in power in a very short time.”

Strong Republican majorities in both houses had Democrats struggling to stay relevant this spring. Turner says his party helped prevent cuts in TennCare, as well as a bill to join an interstate healthcare compact opposed to the federal overhaul. But he conceded when Republicans agree to do something, Democrats are powerless to stop it.

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Turner also said Republicans made a strategy of disenfranchising voters, referring to a bill passed to require a photo ID to vote. He says that measure will turn away many elderly and minority voters. It’s been deemed unconstitutional by the state attorney general (pdf).

In the waning hours of the session lawmakers did pass a measure to provide photo IDs to a voter without one, as long as he or she signs an affidavit saying they’re registered voters, have no government ID and need one to vote.