FRANKFORT – Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Dorsey Ridley, D-Henderson, filed for re-election to his 4th district Senate seat today in Frankfort.
Senator Ridley, citing a strong record that includes education, economic development, and progress in highway infrastructure, represents the 4th Senatorial District that includes Caldwell, Crittenden, Henderson, Livingston, Union, and Webster counties. Since winning a special election to the Kentucky State Senate in 2004, Senator Ridley has been a strong advocate for teachers and the hard-working men and women in the commonwealth.
With the 2018 Legislative Session approaching, Senator Ridley said one of his top priorities will be to balance the state budget while preserving education, transportation infrastructure, health care, and public safety. Priorities also include addressing the public pension issue without penalizing teachers, public employees and retirees.
During the 2017 Legislative Session, Senator Ridley supported legislative issues that ranged from providing stronger protection for Kentucky’s children to criminal justice reform to strengthening human trafficking awareness.
This year, Senator Ridley’s colleagues in the Senate Democratic Caucus elected him to the leadership position of Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman. He had previously served in the House of Representatives from 1987-94, where he represented three of the counties that he still represents today in the Senate.
Senator Ridley’s legislative committee assignments reflect his expertise and regional priorities. He is a member of the Agriculture, Banking and Insurance, Transportation, State and Local Government, Committee on Committees, and Rules committees. As a member of leadership, he also has a seat on the Legislative Research Commission.
A past chairman and active member of the Western Kentucky Legislative Caucus, Senator Ridley and his colleagues examine the needs and issues that affect their region. He is also a member of the Kentucky Sportsmen’s Caucus and the Aluminum Caucus.
A life-long resident of the 4th District, Senator Ridley is regional business development director of Independence Bank in Henderson, serving a 12-county market, and a former Henderson County president of Independence Bank. He is a member and the current president of the Henderson Rotary Club and a member of the Henderson Community College Foundation and the Henderson Chamber of Commerce. He is a graduate of Western Kentucky University.
Senator Ridley and his wife, Glenn Hodge Ridley, a retired schoolteacher, have four adult children. The Ridleys have one grandchild and will welcome another soon. The Ridleys are members of the Presbyterian Church of Henderson.