With the Republicans holding a slim 50-49 advantage over Democrats within the Tennessee House of Representatives following the 2008 state elections, it was anticipated within the TNGA Republican House Caucus that Mumpower would be the elected in 2009 as next Speaker of the House, succeeding Democrat Jimmy Naifeh, who has held the position since 1991. However, Mumpower lost the House Speaker election to fellow Republican Kent Williams of Carter County. Williams was able to secure the vote of every House Democrat, plus his own, to become the first Republican Speaker of the House since 1969.