The State Senate on Tuesday re-elected Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) for a fourth term as Speaker of the Senate. Senators met at noon on the first organizational day of the 113th General Assembly to elect their speaker. By statute, the Speaker of the Senate holds the title of Lieutenant Governor. Lt. Governor McNally has served as Speaker of the Senate and Lieutenant Governor since January 2017.
“The Tennessee Senate is one of the most conservative legislative bodies in the nation. This is a great source of pride and has resulted in great things for our state. But our strength comes not just from our conservatism but also from our dedication to the people of this state,” said Lt. Governor McNally. “I am extremely proud to once again serve the people of Tennessee as Speaker of the Senate and Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee. I am grateful for your trust and will not let you down.
“Tennessee has made remarkable progress over the last decade. Conservative ideas have been put into action and our state is better for it. We have low taxes, low debt and our economy continues to grow as jobs and people flood into our state. We will continue to face challenges this year and in the years to come. Some will be predictable, some will be unpredictable. But we will get through them by working together for the benefit of all Tennesseans.”
In addition to his 26 years on the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee, Lt. Governor McNally also served as chairman of the Senate Education Committee in the 102nd and 103rd General Assemblies.
Lt. Governor 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. Lt. Governor McNally and his wife Janice have two adult daughters, Melissa and Maggie, three grandchildren, Haley, Morgan and Trent, and one great-grandchild, Malachi.