By Steve Hunley

The impending resignation of Glen Casada, Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, has its sad aspects, whether anybody wants to admit it or not. Democrats are rejoicing because they think the fall of Glen Casada will reap political dividends for their own party. Of course that is largely a delusion, but I have yet to meet anyone who thinks those folks are entirely rational.

Glen Casada made more than a few enemies on the way up the ladder and there are some happy hearts in Nashville to see him plummet back to earth. There are certainly some hearts aflutter that Casada’s speakership has been abbreviated; two that come readily to mind are David Hawk, a Republican from Greeneville, Tennessee and William Lamberth, the Majority Leader of the House, who is from Portland, Tennessee. It seems like a natural progression for the Majority Leader to move up to the Speaker’s chair, but IF the Republican caucus has a collective brain in its head, it will follow a path that is different, but one that is equally a natural progression. Bill Dunn is the Speaker Pro Tem of the Tennessee House of Representatives and it seems to me the smartest thing the GOP members of the legislature could do right about now is coalesce around Bill Dunn. As this is written, two members of the Knox County delegation, Martin Daniel and Jason Lafferty, have endorsed Dunn to serve as Speaker. There is no reason on earth why Bill Dunn shouldn’t be elected Speaker of the House and serve until after the 2020 elections.

Bill Dunn is the antidote to the viciousness of the assault by Democrats in and outside of the Tennessee General Assembly, who are less concerned about good government than regaining the majority they lost more than a decade ago. The USA Today network newspapers – – – and nobody owns more in Tennessee – – – have been pursuing Casada doggedly, reaffirming the Tennessean’s place as the mouthpiece for Democrats in our state. The truth of the matter is Bill Dunn’s character is utterly unassailable. In 25 years in the House of Representatives, there hasn’t even been a whiff of a whiff of scandal anywhere near Dunn. Bill Dunn is that rarest of creatures: the citizen legislator who is unimpeachably honest. A committed family man with old fashion values, traits that cause many Democrats and leftists to frankly loathe him, Bill Dunn the is one person the Republicans could install as Speaker of the House and repair any perception problems they might have currently. Dunn was one of the first to call on Casada to resign his office and has not wanted to be Speaker. That alone should probably be the biggest consideration in selecting Glen Casada’s successor.

Even those who disagree with Bill Dunn’s political views can’t say enough about his character, honesty and integrity. Bill Dunn is one of the few people in the Tennessee General Assembly to go about his business quietly, modestly, and without promoting himself for any kind of advancement.

Dunn is courteous, polite to all, and attentive to the people who elected him. Lastly, let’s not forget having the Speaker of the House reside in Knox County wouldn’t hurt a thing. It’s not only an honor he deserves, Bill Dunn is the kind of Speaker the people of Tennessee deserve.