Walter Dee Huddleston

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}}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#if:||{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}}}} }}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox officeholder with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| regexp1 = 1blankname[%d]* | regexp2 = 1namedata[%d]* | regexp3 = 2blankname[%d]* | regexp4 = 2namedata[%d]* | regexp5 = 3blankname[%d]* | regexp6 = 3namedata[%d]* | regexp7 = 4blankname[%d]* | regexp8 = 4namedata[%d]* | regexp9 = 5blankname[%d]* | regexp10 = 5namedata[%d]* | allegiance | alma_mater | regexp11 = alongside[%d]* | alt | regexp12 = ambassador_from[%d]* | regexp13 = appointed[%d]* | regexp14 = appointer[%d]* | regexp15 = assembly[%d]* | awards | battles | battles_label | birth_date | birth_name | birth_place | birthname | regexp16 = blank[%d]* | bodyclass | branch | branch_label | cabinet | candidate | caption | categories | regexp17 = chancellor[%d]* | children | citizenship | regexp18 = co%-leader[%d]* | commands | committees | regexp19 = constituency[%d]* | regexp20 = constituency_AM[%d]* | regexp21 = constituency_MP[%d]* | regexp22 = convocation[%d]* | regexp23 = country[%d]* | regexp24 = data[%d]* | date | death_cause | death_date | death_manner | death_place | demo | regexp25 = deputy[%d]* | regexp26 = district[%d]* | education | election_date | embed | father | regexp28 = firstminister[%d]* | footnotes | regexp29 = governor[%d]* | regexp30 = governor_general[%d]* | regexp31 = governor%-general[%d]* | height | honorific_prefix | honorific-prefix | honorific_suffix | honorific-suffix | image | image name | image_name_alt | image_size | imagesize | image_upright | incumbent | regexp32 = jr/sr[%d]* | regexp33 = jr/sr and state[%d]* | known_for | regexp34 = leader[%d]* | regexp35 = legislature[%d]* | regexp36 = lieutenant[%d]* | regexp37 = lieutenant_governor[%d]* | mainwidth | regexp38 = majority[%d]* | regexp39 = majority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp40 = majority_leader[%d]* | regexp41 = majorityleader[%d]* | mawards | regexp42 = military_blank[%d]* | regexp43 = military_data[%d]* | regexp44 = minister[%d]* | regexp45 = minister_from[%d]* | regexp46 = minority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp47 = minority_leader[%d]* | regexp48 = minorityleader[%d]* | regexp49 = module[%d]* | regexp50 = monarch[%d]* | mother | name | nationality | native_name | native_name_lang | nickname | nocat | regexp51 = nominator[%d]* | nominee | occupation | regexp52 = office[%d]* | opponent | regexp53 = order[%d]* | otherparty | parents | regexp54 = parliament[%d]* | regexp55 = parliamentarygroup[%d]* | partner | party | party_election | portfolio | regexp56 = preceded[%d]* | regexp57 = preceding[%d]* | regexp58 = predecessor[%d]* | regexp59 = premier[%d]* | regexp60 = president[%d]* | regexp61 = primeminister[%d]* | regexp62 = prior_term[%d]* | profession | pronunciation | rank | rank_label | relations | relatives | residence | resting_place | resting_place_coordinates | restingplace | restingplacecoordinates | regexp63 = riding[%d]* | runningmate | salary | serviceyears | serviceyears_label | signature | signature_alt | signature_size | smallimage | smallimage_alt | source | speaker | speaker_office | spouse | spouses | regexp64 = state[%d]* | regexp65 = state_assembly[%d]* | regexp66 = state_delegate[%d]* | regexp67 = state_house[%d]* | regexp68 = state_legislature[%d]* | regexp69 = state_senate[%d]* | regexp70 = status[%d]* | regexp71 = suboffice[%d]* | regexp72 = subterm[%d]* | regexp73 = succeeded[%d]* | regexp74 = succeeding[%d]* | regexp75 = successor[%d]* | regexp76 = taoiseach[%d]* | regexp77 = term[%d]* | regexp78 = term_end[%d]* | regexp79 = term_label[%d]* | regexp80 = term_start[%d]* | regexp81 = termend[%d]* | regexp82 = termlabel[%d]* | regexp83 = termstart[%d]* | regexp84 = title[%d]* | unit | unit_label | regexp85 = vicegovernor[%d]* | regexp86 = vicepremier[%d]* | regexp87 = vicepresident[%d]* | regexp88 = viceprimeminister[%d]* | regexp89 = assuming[%d]* | website | width | year }} Walter Darlington "Dee" Huddleston (April 15, 1926 – October 16, 2018) was an American commercial broadcaster and politician from Kentucky. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a member of the Kentucky Senate representing Kentucky's 10th Senate district from 1966 to 1972 and as a member of the United States Senate for two terms from 1973 to 1985. He was defeated for re-election in 1984 by Mitch McConnell by 5,269 votes.

Early life

Huddleston was born on April 15, 1926, in Burkesville, Kentucky.<ref name=death/> He was one of the nine children of Walter Franklin Huddleston and Lottie Belle Russell. His father was a Methodist preacher.<ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref name=dies>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He then attended the University of Kentucky with support from the G.I. Bill, and he then graduated in 1949.<ref name=death/><ref name=radio>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On December 20, 1947, Huddleston married the former Martha Jean Pearce at Duncan Memorial Chapel in Oldham County, Kentucky.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Together, they had two sons, Stephen Huddleston and Philip Huddleston (died April 10, 2022); as well as three granddaughters. Martha Jean Huddleston died on August 18, 2003.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After graduating from college, Huddleston worked as the sports and program director for WKCT in Bowling Green, Kentucky.<ref name=dies/> In 1952, he became the general manager of WIEL in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.<ref name=radio/> He later became president of the Kentucky Broadcasters Association.<ref name=dies/>

Career

Huddleston entered politics in 1964 when he was elected to the Kentucky State Senate.<ref name=obit>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was elected as a state senator in 1965, serving until 1972; for a time, he was the body's majority leader.<ref name=obit/> On June 15, 1972, Huddleston was one of 20 Democratic senators that voted for Kentucky to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

U.S. Senate

In 1972, Huddleston ran for the United States Senate seat which was being vacated by retiring Republican U.S. Senate member John Sherman Cooper.<ref name=herald>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He narrowly defeated Republican Louie Nunn, who was Governor of Kentucky from 1967 to 1971, receiving a 51% to 48% margin.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Huddleston ran the camapaign by repeatedly faulting Nunn for raising the sales tax when was governor.<ref name="auto"/> Huddleston was reelected in 1978 with 61 percent of the vote over the former Republican Kentucky House of Representatives member Louie R. Guenthner Jr. of Louisville, Kentucky.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During his Senate Career, Huddleston supported the Equal Rights Amendment to prohibit sex discrimination, 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.<ref name="auto"/>

1984 campaign vs. Mitch McConnell

In 1984, Huddleston's Republican opponent was Jefferson County, Kentucky (Louisville) Judge-Executive Mitch McConnell.<ref name=death/> McConnell gained political traction with a series of television campaign ads mocking Huddleston's attendance record in the Senate.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> McConnell accused him of putting "his private speaking engagements ahead of his Senate responsibilities."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Despite these ads, the race was very close, with McConnell only defeating Huddleston when the last returns came in (49.9% to 49.5%). The challenger was aided by incumbent Republican President of the United States Ronald Reagan's 20-point victory in the Commonwealth over Democratic challenger Walter Mondale of Minnesota, a member of the U.S. Senate from 1964 to 1976 who was Vice President of the United States from 1977 to 1981, in the concurrent presidential election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Post-Senate career

As was typical of party members from Kentucky, Huddleston was known as a member of the moderate wing of the Democratic Party.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref name="auto"/>

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2012, Huddleston announced he was stepping down as chairman of First Financial Service Corporation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Death

Huddleston died in his sleep on October 16, 2018, at the home of his son, Stephen Huddleston, in Warsaw, Kentucky, where he lived for the last one year and two months of his life, age 92.<ref name=death>Template:Cite news</ref> Mitch McConnell, who had later risen to the highest ranks in the United States Senate leadership, released a statement paying tribute to Huddleston's "tenacity," and stated that both he and his wife, Elaine Chao, were "saddened" when they heard of his passing.<ref name='Former KY US Sen. Walter "Dee" Huddleston dies, Article'>Template:Cite news</ref> He was interred at Elizabethtown Cemetery in the town of Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

External links

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