After 10-years in the state Senate, Democratic Minority Whip Dennis Parrett has announced he will not seek another term in office.
Parrett, D-Elizabethtown, told his local newspaper that health problems and the want to “slow down” are his main reasons for not seeking a fourth term in office.
The 62-year old’s announcement is not a surprise to many around Frankfort, and puts another district in play in 2022 as candidates begin to file and Republicans continue to draw new legislative districts to account for population shifts.
Parett’s daughters took to social media on Thursday morning in a lengthy post about their father and the experience.
“Bittersweet. But what a ride. I’ve learned in the last 11 years that politics are dirty. And such a game. But there are still good people in public service. And I’m happy to say that, even though I’m biased, my Dad was one of them,” wrote Dayna Parrett. “Ask anyone in Frankfort. You may not have always agreed with him, and that’s okay. I didn’t even always agree with him. But Dad could always back his votes up with logic, and why he thought it was the best decision for our district. And you can’t ask for much more than that.”
“To the person who replaces my Dad as the 10th District Senator: please know a few things about your predecessor. He didn’t care about what was popular. He didn’t care what the Democrat or the Republican thing was, he cared about the issue. The people,” wrote Devan Parrett. “I know right now in 2021 we seem to have set aside compromising in favor of someone’s political persuasion, but where has that gotten us? Divided. Bitter. I pray that, whoever you are, you don’t undo the work that Dad did as being known as someone representing the 10th District who did the bipartisan thing—which was not always popular with his own party.
“Was he right all the time? Absolutely not. Did he make mistakes? Better believe it,” she continued. “He’s human. But he’s a human who tried really hard to represent his people well. Let the voters of the district that elected you talk and be known, instead of listening only to the powers that be. It’s a big ask, given the way our climate is currently, but I have faith that there could be a change in the way people vote for candidates. After all, they did it with Dad.”
The 10th state Senate District currently includes all of Hardin and part of Jefferson County.
