POLITICS By Jackson Baker
After Kelsey KUDZU KINGS
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Whoever succeeds the indicted GOP state senator will likely have a different legislative style. THURSDAY AMEMPHIS AY MARCH 17 • 7PM
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One looks for only Republican who has actually filed potential shifts in for the Senate position. And he is said political direction. to have the support of U.S. senators One case where Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty. that is sure to Paul Boyd, who served two terms happen is with state as Probate Court clerk after winning Senate District election to that office in the Republican 31, whose seatsweep year of 2010, has toiled holder up to now dependably in the GOP’s ranks for has been Brian Kelsey, the erstwhile decades and, as an African American, “Stunt Baby of Germantown,” who brings a bit of outreach to a party that, evolved from a prankster as minority to mince no words, needs it. member of the last Democratic-dominated House to a saboteur of the state constitution as a GOP senator in a supermajority Republican General Assembly, sponsoring an endless series of hyperpartisan constitutional amendments. Though an engaging sort personally, Kelsey has been a take-noprisoners type as a legislator, and his easy way with the PHOTO: JACKSON BAKER machinations of the Brent Taylor exiting the SCEC GOP’s extremist fringe was no doubt useful to him in a cutting-edge career that Naser Fazlullah, an engaging and now, alas, has left him bleeding on the near-omnipresent figure among local battlefield — indicted for campaignRepublicans, is a native of Bangladesh finance violations and compelled to who has been in charge of the party’s drop out of his re-election race while he outreach efforts overall. Well-liked prepares a legal defense. and uncontroversial, he is likely to end Kelsey’s would-be successors in up instead on the ballot for GOP state the Republican primary are wholly committeeman. different types — all Republican regulars And there is Brandon Toney, a but all more at home in a bipartisan political newcomer without much of an environment. That is certainly the established pedigree in GOP ranks. case with Brent Taylor, who recently Four years ago, Democrat Gabby resigned as chairman of the Shelby Salinas came close to ousting Kelsey County Election Commission and in a much-watched race. During her seeks state service as a way of crowning successful run for the Shelby County a career that has included significant Democratic chairmanship last year, stints on the Memphis City Council and Salinas more or less committed to not Shelby County Commission. being a candidate for elective office this Taylor, who once had an uncanny year. But Ruby Powell-Dennis, who resemblance to the TV character was a strong runner-up to Salinas in Pee-wee Herman, has matured into the 2020 Democratic primary for the a statesmanlike presence who had House District 97 seat, has basically stabilizing roles as an elective politician been running hard for the District 31 and on the Election Commission. So Senate seat for some time and must be far, Taylor, who recently sold off an reckoned with in a district with purplish extensive funeral-home business, is the tendencies.
