Paul E. Patton

Paul E. Patton (born May 26, 1937) served as Democratic governor of Kentucky from 1995 to 2003. He was succeeded by Ernie Fletcher. He is a Presbyterian, and lives in Pikeville, Kentucky.

Related Topics:
May 26 - 1937 - Democratic - Governor of Kentucky - 1995 - 2003 - Ernie Fletcher - Presbyterian - Pikeville, Kentucky

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Patton was born in Fallsburg, Kentucky. In 1959, he received his B.S. in mechanical engineering at the University of Kentucky. He entered into politics after 20 years in the coal mining business. He started his political career as deputy secretary of transportation. He served as the judge-executive of Pike County, Kentucky from 1981 to 1991, when he was elected lieutenant governor as Brereton Jones' running mate. Jones appointed Patton as secretary of economic development, making Patton the first lieutenant governor to serve as an appointed cabinet secretary.

Related Topics:
Fallsburg, Kentucky - 1959 - B.S. - Mechanical engineering - University of Kentucky - Pike County, Kentucky - 1981 - 1991 - Lieutenant governor - Brereton Jones

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Patton ran for governor himself in 1995. The year before, the Republicans had taken over both houses of Congress, including a majority of Kentucky's congressional delegation for the first time in decades, and seemed ascendant. Patton's campaign seemed an uphill battle but Patton won, using some themes similar to those used by President Bill Clinton in his successful re-election campaign the following year.

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Patton's achievements during his first term as governor included major overhaul of the state's workers compensation laws and significant changes to higher education governance and funding.

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Due to a constitutional amendment enacted under Jones, Patton became the first governor in over 100 years who could succeed himself. Patton was re-elected to a second term in 1999 over a weak Republican nominee and two other candidates.

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In 1997, he began an affair with Tina Conner, the operator of a nursing home in Clinton, a small town in Kentucky's far-western Purchase region. The relationship ended in 1999, but he continued to call her until she completely broke off the affair in October 2001. Two months after she broke off the affair, her nursing home was cited by state regulators for numerous violations of health and safety rules. By July 2002, the state had pulled all Medicare and Medicaid payments from the facility, which soon went bankrupt. http://www.cincypost.com/2002/sep/21/senate092102.html The affair became public after Conner filed a suit against Patton, alleging that he had directed state regulators to shut down her business as retaliation for her ending their affair. However, when questioned under oath about the matter, Conner denied her prior allegations that Patton had intervened on her behalf. http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/09/24/kentucky.governor/ Patton had considered running against to Republican U. S. Senator Jim Bunning in 2004, but the scandal derailed those plans.

Related Topics:
1997 - Nursing home - Clinton - Purchase - 2001 - 2002 - Medicare - Medicaid - Suit - U. S. Senator - Jim Bunning - 2004

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Patton retired to Pikeville after the election of his successor Ernie Fletcher.

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