Kentucky House Democrats poised to select their first woman floor leader
Veteran state Rep. Joni Jenkins of Louisville is widely expected to become the first woman to be a political party’s floor leader in the Kentucky House of Representatives.
House Minority Caucus Chair Derrick Graham of Frankfort said Thursday that House Democrats will meet at noon Friday in the Kentucky Supreme Court chamber in the Capitol to pick a successor to party floor leader Rocky Adkins. Adkins has left the legislature to be senior advisor to Gov. Andy Beshear.
Jenkins is the only announced candidate for the position, said Graham, adding that nominations always could come from members at the meeting. The 100-member House has 39 Democratic seats, with two vacancies.
If Jenkins is elected floor leader, she would have to vacate her position as minority whip.
Three Democrats have notified the caucus of their interest in replacing Jenkins as whip. They are Reps. Jeffrey Donahue of Fairdale, Jim Glenn of Owensboro and Angie Hatton of Whitesburg.
The House elected its first woman to leadership in 2013. Former state Rep. Sannie Overly of Paris was elected majority caucus chairman by her Democratic colleagues, defeating former Rep. Bob Damron of Nicholasville, who had held the position since 2008.
Currently, there is one woman in House Republican leadership — Majority Caucus Chair Suzanne Miles of Owensboro.
Women have held leadership positions in the Senate since Republicans took control in 2000.
