Walter Dee Huddleston
United States Senator
from Kentucky
In office
January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1985
Preceded byJohn Cooper
Succeeded byMitch McConnell
Majority Leader of the Kentucky Senate
In office
January 1970 – December 1972[1]
Preceded byRichard L. Frymire
Succeeded byTom Garrett
Member of the Kentucky Senate
from the 10th district
In office
January 4, 1966 – December 1972
Preceded byPaul Fuqua
Succeeded byJoe Prather
Personal details
Born
Walter Darlington Huddleston

(1926-04-15)April 15, 1926
Burkesville, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedOctober 16, 2018(2018-10-16) (aged 92)
Warsaw, Kentucky, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Jean Pearce
​
​
(m. 1947; died 2003)​
Children2
EducationUniversity of Kentucky (BA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1944–1946
Battles/warsWorld War II

Walter Darlington "Dee" Huddleston (April 15, 1926 – October 16, 2018) was an American politician. He was a Democrat from Kentucky who represented the state in the United States Senate from 1973 until 1985. He was defeated for re-election in 1984 by Mitch McConnell by 5269 votes. Huddleston had a career in commercial broadcasting prior to entering politics.

Early life

Huddleston was born in Burkesville, Kentucky.[2] His father William F. Huddleston was a Methodist preacher. He was one of the nine children of William and his wife Lottie.[3] 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.[4] He then attended the University of Kentucky with support from the G.I. Bill, and he graduated in 1949.[2][5] In 1947, Huddleston married Martha Jean Pearce, who died in 2003.[6]

After graduating from college, Huddleston worked as the sports and program director for WKCT in Bowling Green, Kentucky.[4] In 1952, he became the general manager of WIEL in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.[5] He later became president of the Kentucky Broadcasters Association.[4]

Career

Huddleston entered politics in 1964 when he was elected to the Kentucky State Senate.[7] He was elected as a state senator in 1965, serving until 1972; for a time, he was the body's majority leader.[7]

In 1972, Huddleston ran for the United States Senate seat which was being vacated by retiring Republican John Sherman Cooper.[8] He narrowly defeated Republican Louie B. Nunn, a recent former governor, receiving a 51% to 48% margin.[9] Huddleston ran the camapaign by repeatedly faulting Nunn for raising the sales tax when was governor.[3] Huddleston was reelected in 1978 with 61 percent of the vote over the former Republican state Representative Louie R. Guenthner Jr., of Louisville.[10]

During his Senate Career, Huddleston supported the Equal Rights Amendment for women but was critical of abortion rights. He endorsed voluntary school prayers and Kentucky products like tobacco, bourbon and coal. He supported price control through shifting some of the price to the farmers. He also voiced opposition to excessive drinking labels. He supported the 1977 treaty which ceded the canal to Panama and wished to limit covert intelligence operations.[3]

In 1984, Huddleston's Republican opponent was Jefferson County (Louisville) Judge-Executive Mitch McConnell.[2] McConnell gained political traction with a series of television campaign ads mocking Huddleston's attendance record in the Senate.[11] McConnell accused him of putting "his private speaking engagements ahead of his Senate responsibilities."[12] Despite these ads, the race was very close, with McConnell only defeating Huddleston when the last returns came in (49.9% to 49.5%).[13]

Post-Senate career

Huddleston was known as a member of the moderate wing of the Democratic Party, as was typical of party members from Kentucky.[14]

After his retirement, Huddleston returned to Elizabethtown, Kentucky and began working as a lobbyist for railroad, tobacco and agricultural clients. He also lobbied in behalf of Louisville-based health insurance company Humana and Capitol Holding, a parent of Commonwealth Life Insurance.[3]

In the late 1980s, Huddleston served on the National Board of Advisors of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, an anti-immigration group advocating for a lower rate of legal immigration.[15]

In 2012, Huddleston announced he was stepping down as chairman of First Financial Service Corporation.[16]

Death

Huddleston died in his sleep on October 16, 2018, at the home of his son Stephen Huddleston in Warsaw, Kentucky, age 92.[2] Sen. Mitch McConnell issued a statement on Huddleston's death soon after, in which he honored Huddleston's "tenacity," and stated that both he and his wife, Elaine Chao, were "saddened" when they heard of his passing.[17]

References

  1. ↑ Kentucky General Assembly Membership 1900-2005; Vol. II 1950 - 2005 (PDF). Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. 2005. p. 11. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Walter 'Dee' Huddleston, who lost Senate seat to Mitch McConnell, dies". Courier-Journal. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Roberts, Sam (October 17, 2018). "Walter Huddleston, Senator Toppled by Mitch McConnell, Dies at 92" – via NYTimes.com.
  4. 1 2 3 "Former U.S. Sen. Walter 'Dee' Huddleston dies at 92". Kentucky. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Sheroan, Ben (October 16, 2018). "Broadcaster turned legislator, Dee Huddleston impacted area". The News-Enterprise. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Walter 'Dee' Huddleston, former U.S. Senator, dies at age 92 at son's home in Warsaw". Kentucky Forward. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Former Kentucky U.S. Senator Walter 'Dee' Huddleston has died". WDRB. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Former US Sen. Walter 'Dee' Huddleston dies at 92". Herald Mail Media. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Nixon sweeps to landslide victory". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. November 8, 1972. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  10. ↑ "KY US Senate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Walter Huddleston, Kentucky Senator Who Preceded Mitch McConnell, Dead at 92". RollCall. October 16, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  12. ↑ Mayer, Jane (February 15, 2012). "Who Let the Attack-Ad Dogs Out?". New Yorker. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  13. ↑ Mark R. Chellgren (November 7, 1984). "Dee upset by McConnell in close race". Williamson Daily News. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Former US Sen. Walter 'Dee' Huddleston dies at 92". Finger Lake Times. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Former Kentucky senator Dee Huddleston dead at 92". The Hill. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  16. ↑ "CEO of First Financial in Kentucky Stepping Down for Health Reasons". Americanbanker.com. February 10, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Former KY US Sen. Walter "Dee" Huddleston dies". wymt.com. October 16, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
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