Paul E. Patton - Political Career

Political Career

Patton was introduced to politics by State Senator Kelsey Friend, who arranged for Patton to be a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention. Friend also convinced Patton to help raise money for Walter "Dee" Huddleston's congressional campaign.

As the coal boom began to wane, Patton sold most of his coal interests in 1978. After a meeting with allies of his friend, First District Congressman Carroll Hubbard, in Madisonville on September 20, 1978, Patton considered running for governor in 1979. However, he subsequently decided that he lacked the time to organize a campaign before the May primary election; a letter leaked to the Paducah Sun showed that he believed he was losing Hubbard's support. He joined Terry McBrayer's campaign during the primary, and after McBrayer lost, he worked to elect John Y. Brown, Jr., the Democratic nominee. Brown won the election, and Patton was appointed deputy secretary of transportation. He served only three months before resigning to protest Brown's proposal for a coal severance tax.

In late 1981, Brown asked Patton to become vice-chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party. He would serve under Dale Sights of Henderson. Brown then informed Patton that there had been a change of plans: he had decided to appoint his father, former U.S. Representative John Y. Brown, Sr. to the chair, instead of Sights. Brown's advisers convinced him that this would be politically damaging; finally, Brown appointed Patton chair, with June Taylor, daughter of former governor Ruby Laffoon, as vice-chair. The announcement was a surprise to most political observers, as Sights had been the odds-on favorite for the chairmanship. Patton served as chairman until 1983. During his tenure, he learned much about politics from Taylor and was introduced to Andrew "Skipper" Martin of Louisville, who would later become an important adviser and ally.