Ron Ramsey
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| Ron Ramsey | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January, 2007 |
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| Governor | Phil Bredesen |
| Preceded by | John S. Wilder |
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| Born | November 20, 1955 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Profession | Real Estate Broker/Auctioneer |
| Religion | United Methodist |
Ronald Lynn "Ron" Ramsey (born November 20, 1955) is the current Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee and Speaker of the Tennessee State Senate. A Republican from Blountville in East Tennessee, Ramsey succeeded long-term Democratic Lieutenant Governor John S. Wilder, 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.
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[edit] Early years
Ramsey graduated from Sullivan Central High School during 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.
[edit] State Government
Ramsey represents Senate District 2, which encompasses Johnson and Sullivan counties in East Tennessee.
He was elected to the General Assembly as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1990, 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 1994 and was reelected in 1996[1], 2002 and 2006.
In 2007, Ramsey garnered the support all of the GOP senators and one Democratic senator, Rosalind Kurita of Clarksville, in the vote for lieutenant governor. He won 18 votes to 15 for Wilder, making him the first Republican to serve as speaker of the Senate in 140 years.[2] Ramsey named Kurita as speaker pro tempore in return for her support.
Ramsey sparked statewide controversy in 2005 after he was allegedly video-taped in his Cadillac speeding through Knoxville on I-40 East at 92 m.p.h. by Keith Jones, a Republican who sells speed detecting radar equipment to law enforcement agencies[3] and by filing legislation on February 2, 2005 (2005 SB0698)[4] for changing county wheel tax legislation that (if enacted) would have taken away the ability of Tennessee citizens to vote aye or nay on local wheel tax referendum questions and give Tennessee county commissioners the sole authority to enact wheel taxes with a simple majority vote.
During the 2004 election cycle, Ramsey was one of a few very prominent Tennessee General Assembly leadership members who accepted campaign contributions from both the Daniels' PAC and the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee PAC[5][6]
[edit] References
- ^ http://media.www.easttennessean.com/media/storage/paper203/news/2007/12/06/News/Lieutenant.Governor.Ramsey.To.Keynote.Graduation-3136774.shtml
- ^ "Lieutenant governor's contest may be a mystery worth decoding". Larry Daughtrey. The Tennessean. May 28, 2006.
- ^ State senator questions tape showing him speeding on interstate
- ^ http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/info/Leg_Archives/104GA/bills/BillText/SB0698.pdf
- ^ The Institute on Money in State Politics Candidate Database (2004) - Ron Ramsey
- ^ "Drink at Naifeh fete courtesy of Jack Daniel's: Lawmakers, lobbyists mingle at Coon Supper". Tennessean. Trent Seibert. April 27, 2006.
[edit] Sources
- "Lieutenant governor's contest may be a mystery worth decoding". Larry Daughtrey. The Tennessean. May 28, 2006.
- "Tennessee Conservative PAC -About Us" Brett Holcomb.
- "John M. Gregory:Founder and Chairman". Brett Holcomb.
- "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.
[edit] External links
- Ron Ramsey's profile at the Tennessee General Assembly
- Ron Ramsey's archived profile as a state representative
- Search the Tennessee Online Campaign Finance Database for records filed by Ramsey
- Tennessee Legislative Bills Sponsored and Co-sponsored by Senator Ron Ramsey
[edit] See also
- U.S. Representative David Davis
- Tennessee State Senator Rusty Crowe
- Tennessee Representative Jason Mumpower
- Sullivan County, Tennessee Mayor Steve Godsey
- Tennessee Representative Matthew Hill
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John S. Wilder |
Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee 2007 – present |
Incumbent |
