who is the state senator of kentucky?
Mitch McConnell
entailment
 Wendell Hampton Ford ( September 8 , 1924 – January 22 , 2015 ) was an American politician from the Commonwealth of Kentucky . He served for twenty @-@ four years in the U.S. Senate and was the 53rd Governor of Kentucky . He was the first person to be successively elected lieutenant governor , governor and United States senator in Kentucky history . The Senate Democratic whip from 1991 to 1999 , he was considered the leader of the state 's Democratic Party from his election to governor in 1971 until his retirement from the Senate in 1999 . At the time of his retirement , he was the longest @-@ serving senator in Kentucky 's history , a mark which was then surpassed by Mitch McConnell in 2009 . 

contradiction
 With the collapse of the Whig Party in the 1850s , Democrats took control of the governorship for the duration of the Third Party System , with Charles S. Morehead of the Know Nothing Party being the only exception . The election of Republican William O 'Connell Bradley in 1895 began the only period of true two @-@ party competition for the governorship ; from Bradley 's election through 1931 , five Republicans and six Democrats held the office of governor of Kentucky . Since 1931 , only four Republicans have served as governor of Kentucky ; current governor Matt Bevin , whose term began in 2015 , is the most recent . 

contradiction
 Lawrence Winchester Wetherby ( January 2 , 1908 – March 27 , 1994 ) was an American politician who served as lieutenant governor and governor of Kentucky . He is the only governor in state history born in Jefferson County , despite the fact that Louisville , the county seat , is the state 's most populous city . 

contradiction
 Lawrence Winchester Wetherby ( January 2 , 1908 – March 27 , 1994 ) was an American politician who served as lieutenant governor and governor of Kentucky . He is the only governor in state history born in Jefferson County , despite the fact that Louisville , the county seat , is the state 's most populous city . 

contradiction
 By virtue of her election as Kentucky 's governor , Collins became the highest @-@ ranking Democratic woman in the nation . The only two women in the U.S. Senate at the time were Republicans , and Collins was the only woman governor of any state . Shortly after her election , she appeared on Good Morning America , where she was asked about her interest in the vice @-@ presidency and gave a non @-@ committal answer . Four days after her inauguration as governor , she was chosen to deliver the Democratic response to President Ronald Reagan 's weekly radio address . At a news conference following her speech , Collins was asked again if she would be willing to be considered as the Democrats ' vice @-@ presidential candidate in the upcoming election ; she replied " No , not at this time . " 
