Harvey I. Sloane - Post-mayoral and Senate Race

Post-mayoral and Senate Race

As Sloane's second term as mayor came to an end he ran for the office of Jefferson County Judge-Executive and won, serving in that capacity from January 4, 1986 to January 1, 1990. He won the office by defeating Republican nominee George Clark by a two to one margin.

In 1990 Sloane was the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate against incumbent Mitch McConnell. Governor Wallace G. Wilkinson, angry that Sloane had not supported him in the 1987 gubernatorial primary, had John Brock, the state superintendent of public instruction, run against Sloane in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat, exhausting some of Sloane's resources. Wilkinson refused to assist Sloane in the general election and the state Democratic party leadership, following the governor's lead, did little to assist Sloane. Despite these obstacles Sloane held McConnell to 52% of the vote but McConnell won another term.

The 1990 campaign would be Sloane's last in Kentucky. In 1991, with his term as judge-executive at an end, Sloane left Louisville to work on health care projects in Washington, D.C.. In 1995 Sloane became the public health commissioner for the District of Columbia but was later fired by Mayor Marion Barry because Sloane issued a public health advisory to boil water without notifying Barry first.