NASHVILLE — Members of the Tennessee State Legislature elected their leadership for the upcoming term of the state’s governing body.
Sen. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) was selected to serve as the Speaker of the Senate and Rep. Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) was elected to serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
McNally was selected to replace the former Speaker of the Senate Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, who decided not to see re-election this term. Under state law, the Speaker of the Senate holds the title of Lieutenant Governor.
“I am truly humbled at the trust you have placed in me,” Lt. Governor McNally said. “Over the last ten years, our Tennessee Senate has developed a strong reputation as an efficient and fiscally responsible legislative body. It is a well-earned reputation that I plan to build on.”
“During the last decade, Tennessee has been blessed with outstanding political leadership,” McNally continued. “Tennessee has cut taxes, eliminated wasteful spending and kept public debt to a minimum. Our nation’s credit agencies have rewarded Tennessee with AAA ratings. These ratings are a direct result of our fiscal discipline and strong economic policy.”
“The path to success has been laid out for us. We know it well because we have already walked it,” McNally concluded. “We must continue our journey. We must have the strength and courage to stay on course to ensure Tennessee remains the greatest state in the nation to live, work and raise a family.”
Tennessee’s fiscal conscience, Lt. Governor Randy McNally is only the second Republican Tennessee Senate Speaker in modern history (with Ramsey being the first) and the first from Anderson County in nearly 150 years.
As chairman of the Senate’s Finance, Ways and Means Committee for a decade, McNally oversaw the General Assembly’s only constitutionally proscribed duty: the passage of a balance budget. Recognized across the state as a finance and budget expert, McNally’s leadership has been critical in keeping Tennessee budget in balance and its credit “Triple-A” rated.
In addition to his 26 years on the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee, McNally also served as chairman of the Senate Education Committee in the 102nd and 103rd General Assemblies.
A legislative leader for nearly 40 years, McNally has been recognized for his both his work in the General Assembly and in his community. McNally counts among his many achievements the American Conservative Union Conservative Achievement Award, NFIB’s Guardian of Small Business Award, the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police Legislative Award and the Tennessee Press Association Open Government Award.
McNally received his B.S. from Memphis State University in 1967 and graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy in 1969. He served as a hospital pharmacist at Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge from 1979 until his retirement in 2010. McNally and his wife Janice have two adult daughters, Melissa and Maggie and three grandchildren, Haley, Morgan and Trent.