Senate Republicans select Johnson as nominee for speakership

Tennessee’s Senate Republican Caucus narrowly nominated its leader as speaker for the next session of the General Assembly in an election that saw the group allow one member to vote by proxy.

The 27-member caucus chose Majority Leader Jack Johnson of Franklin to be its nominee for speaker, picking him over Sen. Paul Bailey of Sparta. The caucus refused to divulge the vote count, a day after announcing it unanimously voted to let outgoing Sen. Brent Taylor cast a vote by proxy through an attorney.

Johnson, long a member of Senate leadership, is tied closely to Gov.-elect Marsha Blackburn, also of Franklin, while Bailey is considered a candidate of rural and rank-and-file Senate members.

The nomination essentially makes Johnson the Senate speaker because Republicans hold a 27-6 supermajority in the Senate. A final vote of the full chamber will be held when the legislature convenes in January.

Johnson has led the legislature in a conservative direction, sponsoring legislation banning gender affirming care for minors in Tennessee, a law the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in a 2025 decision.

Johnson promised to improve communication, collaboration and cooperation within the Senate as he made his case for the post.

“When you succeed, the people you represent succeed,” Johnson told Senate colleagues.

Bailey harkened back to former Senate Speaker John Wilder, a West Tennessee Democrat who often said, “The Senate will be the Senate.”

In making his pitch for votes, Bailey said he would move the Senate back toward the “basics of governing,” making government smaller and focusing on conservative spending.

The caucus also allowed Sen. Kerry Roberts to vote absentee. The Senate clerk’s office conducted the ballot count.

By acclamation, the caucus selected Sen. Dawn White of Murfreesboro as majority leader.