Legislative Turnover and Senate Leadership

The new Legislature will see 19 new House members sworn into a body of 122 members, meaning just under 16% of the body will be freshmen.Down the hall in the Senate, though, 14 new Senators will be sworn to sit in a chamber made up of 52 members. That's a 27% turnover of the entire State Senate, which is a dramatic change.

Besides orienting the new members that will be settling in, the Senate will be adjusting to the loss of an unusual number of quite senior and quite capable leaders from its midst. Gone are Senators Travis Little (retired), Billy Thames (retired), Mike Chaney (elected Insurance Commissioner), Lynn Posey (elected Public Service Commissioner), Charlie Ross (defeated in primary for Lt. Governor), Tommy Robertson (defeated in primary) and Ralph Doxey (defeated in general election), all of whom held positions of significant leadership and wielded significant influence in the last Senate.And while most eyes are on "Speaker politics" in the House, just as big an issue is "Chairman politics" in the Senate, as Lt. Governor Phil Bryant develops his leadership team in the absence of so many old hands.

Watch for Senators Alan Nunnelee, Tom King, Perry Lee and Gary Jackson, all early Bryant supporters, to figure very prominently in the new Senate. Former Ross supporters Terry Brown and Billy Hewes are also likely key players. And Jack Gordon, long-time Democrat chairman of Appropriations, will never be far from the action.