Tennessee state representatives elected a new House speaker Friday after the former leader became engulfed in multiple scandals involving explicit text messages.
In a special legislative session, members of the GOP-dominated state House named Republican Representative Cameron Sexton as leader of the chamber.
Republican Representative Glen Casada resigned as speaker August 2 after revelations he exchanged sexually explicit text messages about women with his former chief of staff years ago, among other controversies.
Casada remains a House member, but was not present at Friday’s session.
Advocates are also hoping lawmakers will oust Republican Representative David Byrd, who’s accused of sexual misconduct by three women nearly 30 years ago.
Byrd declined to answer questions from reporters on Friday and instead, said he would have a statement in “late September.”
(AP)
