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December 31, 2009
Don't Look Back
Here at the Ticket, we're not going to recap the year 2009 in politics. There are enough others doing that already, and there are enough reasons not to do it in the first place.
Instead, let's look ahead to 2010, which will be a very busy year for those writing and pontificating upon political news.
Hamilton County elections are in May* and August. Commission seats, about half the school board, courts officials, sheriff, and all the other posts will be filled. And don't forget the judgeships.
*Some counties are moving away from having primaries. I wish ours would do the same, and, related to that, that more local offices were nonpartisan.
The state House of Representatives—all 99 seats—will be in play, with Democrats looking to take back the majority and Republicans going all out to keep or expand it. Then there's the oddity, Speaker Kent Williams, who may have to run as an independent, even though he is considered a Republican back home.
The state Senate is on the odd-numbered half of its cycle, which means that, locally, Sen. Bo Watson is up for reelection in District 11. So far I haven't heard of any opposition, but candidates can begin picking up qualifying papers on Monday, January 4.
These General Assembly battles will be more fervent than in the recent past, because the party in control gets to redraw all the congressional and state legislative districts after the 2010 census.
And, oh yeah, we'll elect a new governor in November too. The Democratic field has narrowed in the last month (not to mention the drama factor being dialed down, as we no longer have former Gov. Ned Ray McWherter's political son versus his actual offspring), but no Republican shows any sign (yet) of folding.
A few of our federal races will get all kinds of attention as well. There are three open seats now, instead of just the one. The two currently held by Democrats are being aggressively sought by the national GOP, as it looks to swing the pendulum its way after the last two elections.
Besides those, Far East Tennessee could see a rematch from two years ago; it's still possible that U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper could draw opponents from both sides; and out in Memphis, everyone is waiting to see whether former mayor Willie Herenton will bring any serious opposition to Congressman Cohen, or whether a federal indictment will be a disabling distraction.
We are in the off-cycle for U.S. Senate elections, but the above is more than one blogger can do justice. I'll cover, and link to, as much as I can. Thanks for your continued support.
Hamilton County Elections , State House Elections , State Senate Elections , TN Gubernatorial Elections , US House Elections | By joe lance | 2:40 PM
