Ron Ramsey
Encyclopedia
Ronald Lynn "Ron" Ramsey (born November 20, 1955) is the Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee
and Speaker of the State Senate. A Republican
from Blountville
in East Tennessee
, Ramsey succeeded long-term Democratic
Lieutenant Governor John S. Wilder
in 2007, who had held the office of Lieutenant Governor since 1971.
Tennesseans do not elect their lieutenant governor; rather, the Speaker of the Senate, who is second in the line of succession to the governor, is granted the title by statute.
in 1973, and later obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in 1978, majoring in Industrial Technology at East Tennessee State University
in Johnson City
. He is a member of the advisory board of the Farm Credit Association, a former president of the Blountville Business Association, and a former president and current member of the Bristol
TN-VA
Association of Realtors. He currently works as a real estate broker and an auctioneer.
.
He was elected to the General Assembly
as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
in 1992, and served two terms. During his time as a state representative, Ramsey represented the 1st district, composed of Sullivan County. He was elected to the state Senate in 1996 and was reelected in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
In 2007, Ramsey garnered the support all of the GOP senators and one Democratic senator, Rosalind Kurita
of Clarksville
, in the vote for speakership of the Senate. He won with 18 votes to 15 for Wilder. He is the first Republican to serve as speaker of the Senate in 140 years. Ramsey appointed Kurita as speaker pro tempore
in return for her support. Ramsey was reelected as speaker of the Senate of the 106th General Assembly in 2009 by a vote of 19–14 making him the longest serving Republican Lt. Governor in Tennessee state history.
Ramsey sparked statewide controversy in 2005 for two actions. He was allegedly videotaped speeding through Knoxville
in his Cadillac
, traveling on I-40 East at 92 mph (41.1 m/s). The videotape was made by Keith Jones, a Republican who sells speed-detecting radar equipment to law enforcement agencies. Second, in February 2005 he introduced a bill (2005 SB0698) to change county wheel tax
legislation to give Tennessee county commission
ers the sole authority to enact wheel taxes by majority vote, thus taking away the ability of voters to decide on local wheel tax in referendum
s.
During the 2004 election cycle, Ramsey was one of a few prominent Tennessee General Assembly leadership members who accepted campaign contributions from both the Jack Daniel's
PAC
and the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee PAC.
nomination for governor of Tennessee.
In July 2010, twenty tea party organizations, half of the about 40 tea party groups in Tennessee, endorsed Ramsey for governor because of his stances on state sovereignty, health care, immigration and fiscal issues.
On July 14, 2010, Ramsey said that states would have to deal with attempts to bring Sharia law to the U.S. "But you cross the line when they start trying to bring Sharia law into the United States. Now, you could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion, or is it a nationality, way of life, cult, whatever you want to call it. Now certainly we do protect our religions, but at the same time this is something we are going to have to face."
On August 5, 2010, Ramsey finished third, receiving 22% votes of the total for the GOP Nomination in the state of Tennessee.
Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee
The Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee is the Speaker of the Tennessee Senate and first in line in the succession to the office of Governor of Tennessee in the event of the death, resignation, or removal from office through impeachment and conviction of the Governor of the U.S...
and Speaker of the State Senate. A Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
from Blountville
Blountville, Tennessee
Blountville is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,074 at the 2010 census...
in East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
, Ramsey succeeded long-term Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Lieutenant Governor John S. Wilder
John S. Wilder
John Shelton Wilder was an American politician who was a Tennessee state senator from 1959 to 1961 and again from 1967 to 2009 and the 48th lieutenant governor of Tennessee from 1971 to 2007, possibly the longest time anyone has served as Lieutenant Governor or a similar position in the history of...
in 2007, who had held the office of Lieutenant Governor since 1971.
Tennesseans do not elect their lieutenant governor; rather, the Speaker of the Senate, who is second in the line of succession to the governor, is granted the title by statute.
Early years
Ramsey graduated from Sullivan Central High SchoolSullivan Central High School
Sullivan Central High School is a 9th through 12th grade high school in Blountville, Tennessee. It has around 1000 students annually. The two middle schools that feed into Central are Blountville Middle School and Holston Middle School. The school's mascot is the cougar...
in 1973, and later obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in 1978, majoring in Industrial Technology at East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University is an accredited American university located in Johnson City, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system of colleges and universities, the nation's sixth largest system of public education, and is the fourth largest university in the state...
in Johnson City
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
. He is a member of the advisory board of the Farm Credit Association, a former president of the Blountville Business Association, and a former president and current member of the Bristol
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundaries of both cities run parallel to each other along State...
TN-VA
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
Association of Realtors. He currently works as a real estate broker and an auctioneer.
State government
Ramsey represents Senate District 2, which encompasses Johnson and Sullivan counties in East TennesseeEast Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
.
He was elected to the General Assembly
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
in 1992, and served two terms. During his time as a state representative, Ramsey represented the 1st district, composed of Sullivan County. He was elected to the state Senate in 1996 and was reelected in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
In 2007, Ramsey garnered the support all of the GOP senators and one Democratic senator, Rosalind Kurita
Rosalind Kurita
Rosalind Kurita is a Tennessee politician who was formerly Speaker pro tempore of the Tennessee State Senate, representing State Senate District 22 , centered on Clarksville...
of Clarksville
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
, in the vote for speakership of the Senate. He won with 18 votes to 15 for Wilder. He is the first Republican to serve as speaker of the Senate in 140 years. Ramsey appointed Kurita as speaker pro tempore
Pro tempore
Pro tempore , abbreviated pro tem or p.t., is a Latin phrase which best translates to "for the time being" in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a locum tenens in the absence of a superior, such as the President pro tempore of the United States Senate.Legislative...
in return for her support. Ramsey was reelected as speaker of the Senate of the 106th General Assembly in 2009 by a vote of 19–14 making him the longest serving Republican Lt. Governor in Tennessee state history.
Ramsey sparked statewide controversy in 2005 for two actions. He was allegedly videotaped speeding through Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
in his Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
, traveling on I-40 East at 92 mph (41.1 m/s). The videotape was made by Keith Jones, a Republican who sells speed-detecting radar equipment to law enforcement agencies. Second, in February 2005 he introduced a bill (2005 SB0698) to change county wheel tax
Wheel Tax
A wheel tax is a method of taxation commonly used in the United States by cities and counties. The problem that a wheel tax attempts to solve is that many people come into a community from outside to work - using the community's roads, water, sewer, and so forth, but pay no taxes into the...
legislation to give Tennessee county commission
County commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
ers the sole authority to enact wheel taxes by majority vote, thus taking away the ability of voters to decide on local wheel tax in referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
s.
During the 2004 election cycle, Ramsey was one of a few prominent Tennessee General Assembly leadership members who accepted campaign contributions from both the Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...
PAC
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
and the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee PAC.
2010 candidacy for governor
On February 28, 2009, Ramsey announced that he would run for the RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination for governor of Tennessee.
In July 2010, twenty tea party organizations, half of the about 40 tea party groups in Tennessee, endorsed Ramsey for governor because of his stances on state sovereignty, health care, immigration and fiscal issues.
On July 14, 2010, Ramsey said that states would have to deal with attempts to bring Sharia law to the U.S. "But you cross the line when they start trying to bring Sharia law into the United States. Now, you could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion, or is it a nationality, way of life, cult, whatever you want to call it. Now certainly we do protect our religions, but at the same time this is something we are going to have to face."
On August 5, 2010, Ramsey finished third, receiving 22% votes of the total for the GOP Nomination in the state of Tennessee.
Sources
- "Lieutenant governor's contest may be a mystery worth decoding". Larry Daughtrey. The Tennessean. May 28, 2006.
- "3) Pharmacists For Life Joins International Boycott" Life Communications. November, 1994.
- "Campaign Finance Reform Bill Fails". Andy Spears. May 3, 2005.
- "John Gregory uses checkbook to promote conservative causes". Hank Haynes. September 3, 2006.
- "Faith Healers: The born-again Gregory brothers worked a financial miracle from cast-off drug brands". Forbes. Zina Moukheiber. October 28, 2002.
- "Campaign gift spat touches the governor". Tennessean. Bonna de la Cruz. October 2, 2004.