Senate GOP to Elect Speaker, Lieutenant Governor
Republican senators approved a proxy vote for Sen. Brent Taylor ahead of Tuesday's caucus election for Senate leadership posts.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Elections
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Tennessee Senate Republicans voted 26-0 to let an attorney cast a proxy vote for Sen. Brent Taylor, who will be in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for congressional organizational meetings. The caucus will hold its election that day to decide the next Senate speaker and lieutenant governor.
Why it matters
Fourteen votes will be needed to choose the next speaker and lieutenant governor, making the caucus vote central to who leads the Senate when the new General Assembly convenes. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, who is no longer a senator, will not take part in the vote.
The caucus approved the proxy 26-0 among its 27 members, and 14 votes are required to select the next speaker and lieutenant governor. Taylor's replacement for Senate District 31 will not be seated until a special election is held.
The players
Brent Taylor
Tennessee state senator who won the 9th Congressional District race by 1.1 percentage points over state Rep. Justin J. Pearson.
Randy McNally
Tennessee's lieutenant governor and longtime Senate speaker who has served in the legislature for nearly 50 years.
Jack Johnson
Senate Majority Leader from Franklin who holds a leading role in the Tennessee Senate Republican Caucus.
The details
Taylor submitted a letter to the Senate Clerk's office requesting to vote by proxy, and the caucus approved the request after an anonymous poll and an email survey from the clerk's office. Some members were still responding to the email survey as of last Friday.
Timeline
Last Tuesday: Taylor and Briggs won their respective elections in November 2026.
Tuesday, Nov. 11: Senate Republican Caucus holds its election for speaker and lieutenant governor.
Jan. 12: New General Assembly convenes and McNally's speakership ends.
Season Trajectory
Tennessee's Senate leadership contest follows the pattern set when McNally's departure opened the speaker post for the next session. The outcome will determine which Republican senators hold the chamber's top positions when the new General Assembly convenes Jan. 12.
Tennessee residents will see new Senate leadership take over when the General Assembly convenes, affecting which bills move forward. The vacant Senate District 31 seat means that district will lack a senator until a special election is held.
The takeaway
Leadership votes in the Tennessee Senate hinge on a small number of members, so the outcome of Tuesday's caucus election will shape the chamber's direction in the coming session.
What happens next
The Senate Republican Caucus will hold its leadership election on Tuesday, and the new General Assembly convenes Jan. 12.
Further reading
For more on the state's races, see Elections coverage of Tennessee.
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