Published: January 06, 2009 08:13 pm      

Rhoads replaces Pendleton as Democratic whip in Senate

Floyd beats Lee in Republican House for same post

FRANKFORT — While anticipation ran high about who would be elected speaker on the House end of the state capitol Tuesday, not much changed on the Senate end.

While House members gathered in small groups, whispering, asking each other and reporters whether Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, could unseat the longest-serving speaker in state history, Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, only one Senate leadership post changed hands.

Democratic Whip Joey Pendleton of Hopkinsville stepped down and was replaced by fellow western Kentucky Democrat Jerry Rhoads of Madisonville. Pendleton has been caught up in controversy for receiving pay from his contract job as farm operations manager at Murray State University while simultaneously receiving legislative pay for attending legislative meetings.

As whip, Rhoads’ job will be to count and round up votes from Senate Democrats which the leadership supports. The position also puts Rhoads on the Senate Rules Committee that determines the order and flow of bills to the floor and to which committee bills are assigned.

No surprise on the Republican side in the Senate – David Williams of Burkesville will remain president. Katie Stine of Southgate was chosen again as president pro tem. In that position, Stine often takes the gavel from Williams during Senate debates. Dan Kelly of Springfield will continue as Majority Floor Leader; Carroll Gibson of Leitchfield stays on as caucus chair; and Dan Seum of Louisville will continue to serve as majority whip.

Ed Worley of Richmond remains the Democratic Minority Leader. Johnny Ray Turner of Drift is Democratic caucus chair to round out the Democratic leaders in the Senate.

Williams said Monday that Grayson Republican Senator Charlie Borders will again serve as chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee. And he also said Ernie Harris, R-Crestwood, would succeed Bret Guthrie (who won a Congressional race) as Transportation chairman.

Newly elected Sen. David Givens, R-Greensburg, will take over the chairmanship of a newly formed Agriculture Committee. During Givens’ hotly contested race for the open 9th Senate District against Democrat Steve Newberry, Williams promised to form the committee from the existing Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Sen. Tom Jensen, R-London, will likely continue to chair the Natural Resources Committee.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS

Meanwhile, the House Republicans replaced their Whip, Stan Lee of Lexington, with David Floyd of Bardstown. Sal Santoro of Florence had also declared for the post, but he announced that he was withdrawing as Republicans began to caucus and he made the motion to name Floyd as Whip.

Jeff Hoover of Jamestown was re-elected minority leader and Bob DeWeese of Louisville was re-elected minority caucus chair, both without opposition.

Hoover said he thought Republicans who voted for Floyd might have been influenced by his assertion that he recently retired from his family business and had more time to devote to caucus business. He said the change in Whip won’t change Republican unity.

“There’s certainly no bitterness,” Hoover said. “Certainly not like what’s going on around the corner,” referring to the House Democratic caucus in which Greg Stumbo supplanted long-time Speaker of the House Jody Richards.

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.