Chorus for Williams' Resignation Grows Louder

DANDRIDGE, TENN. - Thursday H. T. Devault and Cecile Testerman, the two elected Committeepersons for the State Republican Party for the 4th Senate District, asked Senator Mike Williams to resign from the State Senate since he was elected as the Republican nominee but he no longer claims to be a Republican.

As the Chairpersons of the three largest counties in the 4th Senate District, we want to add our names to the list of those calling for his resignation. Hawkins, Jefferson & Claiborne Counties comprise almost three quarters of the registered voters in the 4th Senate District.

Sen. Williams announced last week his official departure from the Republican Party to become an Independent. Since he has abandoned the party whose nomination he sought and used for his election, we call on Senator Williams, as a man of principle, to resign his seat in the Tennessee Senate and to ask Governor Bredesen to schedule a special election to fill the vacancy in the 4th Senate District.

If, indeed, our Senator's abandonment of the Republican Party is a matter of principle, we call for a full measure of principle and not just a half measure. To continue to serve in the office to which he was elected as a Republican - when in fact he professes he is no longer a Republican – is not fully principled.

Cecil Testerman
Hawkins County GOP Chairperson
Rogersville, Tennessee

Hobart Rice
Jefferson County GOP Chairman
Dandridge, Tennessee

Judi Swilling
Claiborne County GOP Chairman
New Tazewell, Tennessee


Also joining in our call for resignation from the Tennessee Senate is Jack Rhyne, immediate past Chairman of the Union County GOP, and Nadine Stansbury, Chairwoman of the Grainger County Republican Women.