Mitch McConnell's predecessor as US Senator
Huddleston was born in Burkesville, Kentucky.[1] After he graduated from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army and served as a tank gunner in Europe during and after World War II from 1944 to 1946.[2] He then attended the University of Kentucky with support from the G.I. Bill, and he graduated in 1949.[1][3] In 1947, Huddleston married Martha Jean Pearce, who died in 2003.[4]
After graduating from college, Huddleston worked as the sports and program director for WKCT in Bowling Green, Kentucky.[2] In 1952, he became the general manager of WIEL in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.[3] He later became president of the Kentucky Broadcasters Association.[2]
Huddleston entered politics in 1964 when he was elected to the Kentucky State Senate.[5] He was elected as a state senator in 1965, serving until 1972; for a time, he was the body's majority leader.[5]
In 1972, Huddleston ran for the United States Senate seat which was being vacated by retiring Republican John Sherman Cooper.[6] He narrowly defeated Republican Louie B. Nunn, a recent former governor, receiving a 51% to 48% margin.[7] Huddleston was reelected in 1978 with 61 percent of the vote over the former Republican state Representative Louie R. Guenthner Jr., of Louisville.[8]
In 1984, Huddleston's Republican opponent was Jefferson County (Louisville) Judge-Executive Mitch McConnell.[1] McConnell gained political traction with a series of television campaign ads making sport of Huddleston's attendance record in the Senate.[9] McConnell accused him of putting "his private speaking engagements ahead of his Senate responsibilities."[10] Despite these ads, the race was very close, with McConnell only defeating Huddleston when the last returns came in (49.9% to 49.5%).[11]
Huddleston died on October 16, 2018 in Warsaw, Kentucky, at the age of 92.[1]
Concern about current politics
Huddleston kept up with current political events in the last few years but otherwise "liked to enjoy sports and his newspapers and his books," his son said, adding that his father played golf for as long as he was able.
As for the current political climate in Washington, D.C., Huddleston was not pleased with the partisan atmosphere that has taken over in recent years, Stephen Huddleston said.
"He mentioned from time to time the deterioration of the quality of legislation and the undermining of the process,” Stephen Huddleston said. “I don’t think he was overly impressed with the character of people holding higher office.”
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/ne...657899002/
Huddleston was born in Burkesville, Kentucky.[1] After he graduated from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army and served as a tank gunner in Europe during and after World War II from 1944 to 1946.[2] He then attended the University of Kentucky with support from the G.I. Bill, and he graduated in 1949.[1][3] In 1947, Huddleston married Martha Jean Pearce, who died in 2003.[4]
After graduating from college, Huddleston worked as the sports and program director for WKCT in Bowling Green, Kentucky.[2] In 1952, he became the general manager of WIEL in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.[3] He later became president of the Kentucky Broadcasters Association.[2]
Huddleston entered politics in 1964 when he was elected to the Kentucky State Senate.[5] He was elected as a state senator in 1965, serving until 1972; for a time, he was the body's majority leader.[5]
In 1972, Huddleston ran for the United States Senate seat which was being vacated by retiring Republican John Sherman Cooper.[6] He narrowly defeated Republican Louie B. Nunn, a recent former governor, receiving a 51% to 48% margin.[7] Huddleston was reelected in 1978 with 61 percent of the vote over the former Republican state Representative Louie R. Guenthner Jr., of Louisville.[8]
In 1984, Huddleston's Republican opponent was Jefferson County (Louisville) Judge-Executive Mitch McConnell.[1] McConnell gained political traction with a series of television campaign ads making sport of Huddleston's attendance record in the Senate.[9] McConnell accused him of putting "his private speaking engagements ahead of his Senate responsibilities."[10] Despite these ads, the race was very close, with McConnell only defeating Huddleston when the last returns came in (49.9% to 49.5%).[11]
Huddleston died on October 16, 2018 in Warsaw, Kentucky, at the age of 92.[1]
Concern about current politics
Huddleston kept up with current political events in the last few years but otherwise "liked to enjoy sports and his newspapers and his books," his son said, adding that his father played golf for as long as he was able.
As for the current political climate in Washington, D.C., Huddleston was not pleased with the partisan atmosphere that has taken over in recent years, Stephen Huddleston said.
"He mentioned from time to time the deterioration of the quality of legislation and the undermining of the process,” Stephen Huddleston said. “I don’t think he was overly impressed with the character of people holding higher office.”
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/ne...657899002/
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated Communist but instead the people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists -- Hannah Arendt.