House Speaker Cameron Sexton officially sworn in, succeeding ousted Speaker Glen Casada

House members in the 111th General Assembly elected their second speaker of the year on Friday, as Cameron Sexton officially took over as the top leader of the chamber and ushered in changes that signaled a new era in the House.

The chamber voted 94-0 for Sexton. Reps. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville, and Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, abstained. 

Last month, the House Republican Caucus nominated Sexton, R-Crossville, to replace former House Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, who resigned from leadership amid scandal.

Casada, who attended a Thursday evening caucus meeting, was not in attendance for the special legislative session on Friday morning.

Sexton's ascension and the recent election of Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, as House GOP caucus chair, marks a new era for the chamber as it looks to turn the page on the tumultuous period led by Casada. 

Rep. Curtis Johnson, the one-time speaker pro tempore under former House Speaker Beth Harwell, has once again risen to a top position of leadership in the chamber.

Sexton on Friday appointed Johnson, R-Clarksville, to deputy speaker, a leadership position hand-picked by the speaker.

Johnson replaces Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, whom Casada appointed deputy speaker in January and who was a key leader in pushing contentious legislation this session, including bills on school vouchers and a six-week abortion ban.

Johnson unsuccessfully ran against Casada in a November caucus race for speaker, and again this summer when the caucus elected Sexton as its nominee.

Sexton says he is answering 'call to work together'

Gov. Bill Lee called the special session to allow the House to formally name a new speaker to succeed Casada, who was the subject of a May vote of no confidence by his caucus.

The caucus's questioning of Casada's ability to lead came after reports by The Tennessean and NewsChannel 5 that he had engaged in sending sexually explicit, misogynistic and racist text messages.

After taking the oath of office from Judge Gary McKenzie, Sexton addressed the chamber, offering a reminder of Tennessee's history as the Volunteer State. 

“Today we are here to answer our call — a call to work together for the betterment of Tennessee,” he said. 

Sexton touted the state's accomplishments, which he said included low debt and fiscal responsibility, adding, "Success today does not necessarily mean success tomorrow."

He stressed the need to have the chamber, the legislature and executive branch to work together in a bipartisan manner.

"The good news is we agree on a lot more than we disagree on," he said, highlighting mutual desires for quality education, jobs, infrastructure, health care.

While admitting that there may be disagreements on how to approach such issues, Sexton said, "I will always encourage robust but respectful debate."

Sexton changes some of Casada's picks for committee leaders

Sexton’s rise to the speaker’s office immediately ushered in other changes to the House. Among his first action as speaker was making changes to a committee system designed by Casada, one through which the former speaker rewarded allies and punished detractors.

The most notable changes to the committee chairmanships included removing Rep. Matthew Hill, the former deputy speaker from Jonesborough, from his positions leading the ethics and TennCare committees.

Johnson will now take over the ethics committee, while Rep. David Hawk, who was largely shut out by Casada, is set to lead the TennCare subcommittee.

Rep. Andy Holt, whose prominence in the statehouse was boosted by Casada and who had been made chair of the finance subcommittee, has been removed from that position and moved to chairman of the agriculture subcommittee.

Rep. Susan Lynn will continue to lead the finance committee, while Rep. Gary Hicks will lead finance subcommittee and Hill has been made chair of the newly created finance appropriations subcommittee.

Other chairman positions remained the same, with the exception of Rep. Ron Travis being removed as chairman of the insurance committee and replaced by Rep. Robin Smith.

Rep. Ryan Williams will now take her position as chair of the life and health insurance subcommittee.

Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.

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