State Sen. Damon Thayer would like to make two things clear following his surprise announcement last week that he would not see reelection in 2024 after two decades in Frankfort.
First, the Georgetown Republican is not stepping aside because of any potential challenger, either from within his party or from Democrats. If he were to run next year, which he’s not, Thayer is confident he would secure a sixth term to represent Grant and Scott Counties as well as portions of Kenton and Fayette Counties.
“I would win any primary and any general election,” he says. “I’ve solidified my district – my district knows I deliver for them and I know how to win.”
And second, the Senate Majority Floor Leader says he’s not done with politics. He says he will advise Republicans running in 2024 and keep an eye out for political offices he might want to seek in the future.
“I think could be a compelling candidate for governor and I would certainly put that on the list of things I would consider doing,” says Thayer.
The Responsibilities and Stresses of Leadership
A native of Michigan, Thayer won a special election to the state Senate in 2003 to represent district 17. In 2013 he became only the third Republican in Kentucky history to hold the post of Senate Majority Floor Leader. As the traffic cop directing work on the Senate floor, Thayer likens to job to performance art, which he says harkens back to his youth doing school plays.
“The majority floor leader job and I were meant for each other,” he says. “I have a short attention span and I’m a multitasker, and I just feel like my skillset was just perfect for this job.”
But after a dozen years as leader in addition to his regular duties as a senator, Thayer says he’s ready for a break. Although Kentucky has a part-time legislature, he says the work of serving constituents is full time.
“These jobs are tough and they wear you down,” he says. “I’m 56 and I don’t want to have health consequences caused by my workplace.”
Beyond the physical toll, Thayer says his growing business interests demand more of his attention. He owns a communications and consulting firm, co-founded a bourbon brand, and has equine and horse racing interests. While he says he’s enjoyed his time in the Senate and accomplished most of his policy goals, Thayer says he’d rather leave Frankfort a little early rather than stay too long.
“I’ve done my time and I want to do other things,” the senator says. “I want to grow the businesses that I own and also see what other opportunities are out there for me.”
Not Leaving the Political Arena
Those opportunities could include another run for office in the future. In addition to a potential gubernatorial bid, Thayer says he might also consider running for Congress or the U.S. Senate if there’s an open seat. He has no interest in running against any of Kentucky’s current delegation in Washington, saying they are all his friends and are doing a good job. He says he would also have to see the GOP field for governor in 2027 before deciding whether to enter that contest. He says he might have even run this year had he not had so many colleagues in the race.
Until then, Thayer says he’s eager to help GOP candidates who will be on the ballot in 2024. He is confident his advice can help them get elected.
“I’m going to be very involved in Republican politics in campaigning, and fundraising, and advising my friends,” he says. “My advice to candidates is worth a lot of money.”
As for the results in this year’s gubernatorial campaign, Thayer says he was surprised by Gov. Andy Beshear’s victory. He says the Republican challenger, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, had momentum at the end, but had too much of deficit to overcome. Thayer attributes Beshear’s win his steep fundraising advantage over Cameron, which allowed the Democrat to blast the airwaves with campaign commercials starting right after the primary election. Despite Beshear’s reelection, Thayer says the trends remain positive for Kentucky Republicans.
“I don’t want us to be spooked by the result of this election,” he says. “I think Andy Beshear is an anomaly. I believe he’ll be the last Democratic governor elected in Kentucky for a generation.”
Another issue that hurt the Cameron campaign, according to Thayer, was abortion and whether there should be exemptions to the state’s ban on the procedure. The senator says he is “100 percent pro-life,” but adds that lawmakers do need to consider whether to amend the law to allow exceptions for victims of rape and incest.
“Because if we don’t do something on it, I believe a court will,” he says, “and I think the court will take it way further than we would ever want to and probably way further than Kentuckians want.”
As that debate continues, Sen. Whitney Westerfield (R-Fruit Hill) is floating a proposal to provide greater support to new mothers. Thayer says that conversation is happening behind the scenes, but he says there is concern among some members of the Republican caucus about the idea.
“People want to make sure that we don’t create more of a welfare state,” says the leader. “We already have nearly a million people in Kentucky on some form of Medicaid or state-funded support.”
Thoughts on a Successor
Thayer still has the 2024 General Assembly to complete as well as the interim period that follows before his current term expires. He loves the hustle and bustle of legislative sessions, and says he plans to pursue this one with the same vigor and enthusiasm as he has done in the past.
As for his successor as floor leader, Thayer says he has encouraged Sen. Julie Raque Adams of Louisville to consider the job. He says Adams has the skillset to be a great leader, including an intuition about the personalities and moods of caucus members.
“She’s an empath, and I’m not,” Thayer quips.
And as to who follows him in the 17th district Senate seat, Thayer says the person needs to be a strong conservative who has good relations the with state’s signature industries, including Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Georgetown. He says they should also be pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, and support Senate Bill 150, a controversial measure passed in the 2023 legislative session on transgender youth and the teaching of human sexuality in public schools.
Until it’s time for him to depart the capitol for the last time, Thayer says he will work to make everything “as great as possible” for Kentuckians and his fellow Republicans. And for his critics, the senator has a word of caution.
“I understand my enemies who are dancing on my grave,” Thayer says. “They better be careful. They might break an ankle.”
