Condolences are pouring for one of the giants of Kentucky politics who passed away Thursday morning.
In a testament to former Democratic Governor and U.S. Senator Wendell Ford’s reputation for reaching across party lines, a long list of colleagues and admirers – both Democrat and Republican – are lining up to pay tribute. At the time of his retirement, Ford was Kentucky’s longest serving senator, a title now belonging to Sen. Mitch McConnell.
The Republican Majority Leader offered a short history lesson on the Senate floor Thursday.
"Wendell Ford first came to the Senate in the 1970s, calling himself just a 'dumb country boy with dirt between his toes,' but over a distinguished two-decade career this workhorse of the Senate would prove he was anything but," McConnell said.
For Kentucky Democrats, the news means the loss of the elder statesman of the party. Governor Steve Beshear is calling Ford’s tenure the “epitome of principled leadership”, echoing remarks made by former President Bill Clinton at a campaign stop in Lexington in 2014.
"He managed to be an American in the best sense. To be faithful to his constituents, faithful to his values, faithful to his ideas, and kind, decent, and generous to a guy like me that he basically agreed with... but also to the Republican presidents under whom he served," he said.
At a recent talk at the University of Kentucky, Ford colleague former Sen. Alan Simpson waxed nostalgic about their ability to craft legislation despite deep differences over policy, a style of leadership he said is sorely missing in Washington today.
Wendell Ford was 90. He died Thursday morning at his home in Owensboro.
