[LEX18] Sen. Damon Thayer leaving General Assembly after 22 years
(LEX 18) — For the first time in more than a decade, the Kentucky Senate will have a new Republican Floor Leader. That's because Sen. Damon Thayer, (R) - Georgetown, is leaving the General Assembly after 22 years.
"I've been in the Senate for 22 years, Majority Leader for 12 years. I've slayed a lot of dragons and I just feel like it's time to put my sword away for a while," Thayer told LEX 18 News. "I'll keep it sharp in case any future battles are in my future, but I'm going to focus on some private sector pursuits."
When asked if he'll miss politics, Thayer said he doesn't know yet.
"People ask me that all the time, and I don't think I'll miss it, but I don't really know if I'll miss it until session starts," he said. "I think I might miss the floor action that was where I really thrive."
"I loved the collaborative effort, you know, trying to get people to agree to move bills forward, but it'll be nice taking a little break from managing that process," Thayer added. "I enjoyed it. I have no regrets, but it's a big challenge trying to manage all those personalities. I mean, those of us who are in politics, we have big egos, and every one of us thinks that we should be governor. People will say that they don't, but trust me, every one of us wants to be governor someday. And you know, you've got to have a little ego to put your name on the ballot. So, trying to manage all those expectations, it's a little bit exhausting at times, but I love that. I have no regrets. It was the best experience of my life."
Is Thayer done with politics for good? Or is he interested in running for governor in 2027?
"I'm interested. There is an open seat for governor in 2027. I think whoever wins the Republican nomination will be the next governor, and I'm going to keep an eye on that," said Thayer. "It doesn't have to be something I do. I'll assess the field just like I would in a horse race. I'd handicap the field. And if I handicap it and I would have a good chance at winning, I might run. But I might not. You know, we'll have to wait and see, but I'm going to certainly keep that on my radar."