FRANKFORT —
Republican state Sen. Tom Jensen of London plans to withdraw his candidacy for re-election this week and instead run for circuit judge in the 27th Circuit which serves Knox and Laurel counties.
Jensen, who is unopposed for re-election to his Senate seat, represents the 21st State Senate District which includes Estill, Jackson, Laurel, Menifee and Powell counties. The district briefly included McCreary County after an ill-fated redistricting from the General Assembly earlier this year.
Jensen first elected to the state Senate in 2005. He previously served in the House from 1989 to 1996 and was elected House Minority Leader in 1991. He is a graduate of Cumberland College and the Northern Kentucky University Chase College of Law.
The circuit judge’s position became vacant with the resignation of Judge John Knox Mills in a May 8 letter to Chief Justice John Minton. The resignation became official Aug. 1, according to a letter from Minton to Secretary of State Alison Grimes on Aug. 2. Mills has two years left in his term.
Jensen, 63, said he has long thought about serving as a judge and planned to run two years from now — until he learned Mills was resigning with two years left on his current term.
“I was looking at doing this when I became 65,” Jensen said. “But I know this is my best opportunity to run for judge, probably my last opportunity to do so.”
Jensen is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was instrumental in passage of House Bill 463, a highly praised reform of the state’s drug sentencing laws and probation and parole procedures. The measure is expected to save the state millions over the next decade. He’s also been a key sponsor of legislation dealing with pseudoephedrine products used in the manufacture of methamphetamine and helped pass a law to crack down on prescription drug abuse.
Jensen, well regarded on both sides of the political aisle, was sometimes mentioned as a potential alternative to Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville. But Jensen repeatedly said he was not interested in challenging Williams. His departure won’t affect the partisan balance in the Senate where Republicans have a 23-15 majority with one independent who usually votes with Republicans. His district leans Republican anyway.
He said he has grown weary of partisan battles in the senate but his primary reason for leaving the senate now — beyond his interest in becoming a judge — is a desire to be home with his family.
“You know, I don’t go to any of the legislative receptions or socialize much when I’m in Frankfort,” Jensen said. “I still enjoy the policy side of it, but I miss my family and sleeping in my own bed.”
According to state law, if a vacancy for circuit judge occurs prior to Aug. 6, the governor would appoint someone to fill the office until the next regular election — Nov. 6 — and the vacancy would then be filled by election for the remaining two years of Mills’ term, according to Lynn Zellen, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Alison Grimes.
Gov. Steve Beshear would appoint someone from a list of three names provided by a judicial nominating commission. Deadline for candidates for the unexpired term to file petitions of nomination with Grimes’ office is Aug. 14.
Zellen said if an unopposed candidate for the state Senate withdraws prior to Sept. 15, each political party may nominate a replacement candidate. Normally, party committees in the affected districts choose those replacement candidates.
Zellen also pointed out that Kentucky law prohibits a candidate’s name from appearing on the ballot for more than one office. So Jensen must first withdraw from the Senate race before he can seek the judgeship.
“I’ll probably do that sometime later this week, probably by Thursday,” Jensen said.
Steve Robertson, chairman of the Republican Part of Kentucky, said he couldn’t comment until Jensen files the appropriate paperwork with the secretary of state. But Robertson said the process for filling a vacancy is that party officers in each county in the district are eligible to participate in a district-wide nominating meeting.
Under Republican Party rules, each county is weighted according to the number of registered Republicans in that county, he said.
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