Like the Pointer sisters

I am so excited. I had some hopes for this year in picking up some seats. I figured I better not say anything because two years ago I predicted we would gain two seats in the house and it was a wash. I hoped in the senate to pick up two seats. Delores Gresham (Delores sat right in front of me in the legislature and she was a good friend) and Ken Yeager I knocked doors for Ken and donated to his campaign. The Mike Faulk race who knew.

This year I had heard we were looking hopeful in three house seats Terry Lynn Weaver, Vance Dennis and Joe Carr. We were down a little in two, Chad Faulkner in William Bairds old seat and Chris Criders old seat. Tom Dubois was supposed to be OK and we were so so in another few races. The Nathan Vaughn and bob Bibb races were possible but not likely.

I hoped.

"Maybe we can pick up the election commission" I thought. Wow. That would be a big help. We might get rid of some of the dead voters and fraud. nice. "Who knows?" I thought. Maybe we have a chance for the house but everything will have to fall our way. I gave majority a 20% to 25% chance of happening.

The last few weeks I know myself and a bunch of the hard cores have been crisscrossing the state working to help Republican candidates. The last few days have been a real blurr. Terri Lynn Weaver and I were up until 3AM doing a last second radio spot on Sunday night to push some issues for her. Three hours later at 6 AM I was up and off to help Vance Dennis and Delores Grisham knock doors in Savanna Tennessee and then Drove back to Knoxville in the wee hours to work the polls on election day on Tuesday. I was running on about 6 hours sleep for the last few days.

As results rolled in I started to hope.

I had worked a bunch on Terri Lynn Weavers race and knew early she was out front. Good.

Scott Gilmer (The campaign manager for Vance Dennis) sent me a text early letting me know his race was looking good and Delores looked good as well. Nice. I had been worried about Delores. Her primary was close, close ,close and I was worried about her. I know she is a great person but many times after a tough primary it is difficult to pull the troops back together to win the general.

"We might pick up 2 in the house." I thought. For some reason I forgot about Joe Carr. I knocked doors for Joe and thought he would win but I guess I just got tired and forgot to get his results.

Then the shakeups started to happen. We lost the Tom Dubois race and I thought that would be the end of it. Two seat gain at best. We had some other question marks to worry about as well. The Faulkner race was close. I had heard he was a real hard worker who was doing everything that was asked of him so I liked his chances to hold on to the seat. Still, Who knows. I didn't know who was running the Crider race but heard he was going good. He held on to win as well. Great! The senate was looking good, Yager was winning but it was close. Real close.

Then the shake up race results started to come in. Williams was loosing to Faulk. Many people thought we might loose that one. Democrat Nathan Vaugn was loosing to Republican Tony Shipley. Most people thought that one was "Possible but not probable" for us. I heard they both got close right at the end. Wow! Who knows? maybe we can get a Democrat crossover or two and do this.

Then the real shocker hit. Democrat Bob Bibb lost to Republican Josh Evans. When we beat Bibb I knew it was over but I didn't believe it. I had to count it over and over. 50? Yes, it equals 50.

50? Really? No. There must be a mistake. 50? I called Mumpower and he said it looked good. 50? Could the torcher be over? 50? is that 50? Something will change. I must have forgotten some race. 50?! They will steal one late somewhere.50? 50? 50!

The more I called the more I hoped 50!, 50!,50! I have been literally dreaming about this for years. 50? We have talked about it in small groups in the legislature but it just looked so far off. 50? Maybe in 4 years we all thought. 50? More calls. 50?

It starts to settle in. Yes. 50! We have it. If we stick together, majority, leadership, change. I am exhausted but I can't sleep. The hard cores were all calling each other. 50! We made it! We are there! We were all so happy we were just giggling, talking about all the bills we are going to finally pass. 50! I didn't know to laugh or cry I was so happy. I probably did both. 50!