Tennessee State House Democrats Pull Off Speaker Coup

This week, the Tennessee State House elected its first Republican Speaker of the House in 40 years, and they could not have done it without the support of every Democrat in the body and only one Republican:

Acting in a clandestine pact, the 49 Democrats in Tennessee’s House shocked Nashville just one hour ago by nominating and then voting en masse for Kent Williams (a moderate Republican from Elizabethton in Carter County) for Speaker to lead the 99-member chamber. The official Republican nominee, Jason Mumpower (a wingnut from Bristol in Sullivan County) was left speechless, clutching the family bible that he had brought in preparation for taking the Speaker’s oath of office.

This really is amazing. Just a jaw-dropping and cleverly executed upset that no one saw coming. It's the kind of thing only ever happens in movies, so Tennesseans would probably by wise to keep a look out for Cloverfields.

(via Balloon Juice who has video)