Larry Saunders

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Larry Saunders

| image =

| office = President of the Kentucky Senate

| term_start = January 7, 1997

| term_end = January 4, 2000

| predecessor = John A. Rose

| successor = David Williams

| state_senate1 = Kentucky

| district1 = 37th

| term_start1 = January 1, 1993

| term_end1 = January 1, 2005

| predecessor1 = Dan Seum

| successor1 = Perry B. Clark (2006)

| term_start2 = November 14, 1986

| term_end2 = January 1, 1989

| predecessor2 = Danny Yocom

| successor2 = Dan Seum

| birth_date = {{birth date|1939|08|01}}

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|11|21|1939|08|01}}

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

}}

Larry L. Saunders (August 1, 1939 – November 21, 2010) was an American politician from Kentucky who was a member of the Kentucky Senate from 1986 to 1989 and 1993 to 2005, serving as the president of the Senate from 1997 to 2000. Saunders was first elected to the senate in a November 1986 special election following the resignation of incumbent senator Danny Yocom.{{cite news |date=November 15, 1986 |title=Saunders sworn in as state senator |work=The Lexington Herald-Leader |page=B2}} He was defeated for the Democratic nomination for a full term in 1998 by Dan Seum. Saunders defeated Seum in a rematch in 1992,{{cite news |date=May 27, 1992 |title=Education reform leader Noe and five other legislators lose |work=The Lexington Herald-Leader |page=A1}} and served until he retired from the senate in 2004.{{cite news |date=October 24, 2004 |title=Gop hold on state senate at stake |work=The Lexington Herald-Leader |page=A1}}

Following the 1996 senate election, Democrats had 20 seats in the senate while Republicans had 18. In the 1997 organizational session, Saunders was elected president of the senate, defeating incumbent Democratic leader John A. Rose with the support of four democrats and all 18 Republicans.{{cite news |date=January 8, 1997 |title=Republican coup stuns state senate |work=The Lexington Herald-Leader |page=A1}} Saunders organized the senate with Republicans and his Democratic allies chosen to chair senate committees.{{cite news |date=January 9, 1997 |title='Loyal Democrats' snub leader roles |work=The Lexington Herald-Leader |page=A1}} In July and August 1999, two Democratic senators switched to the Republican party, giving them a majority in the chamber.{{cite news |date=August 23, 1999 |title=Leeper's switch gives GOP senate control |work=The Lexington Herald-Leader |page=A1}} In January 2000, Saunders was formally replaced as senate president by Republican David Williams.{{cite news |date=January 4, 2000 |title=Legislature in no mood for tax boost |work=The Lexington Herald-Leader |page=A1}}

He died in November 2010 at age 71.{{cite web |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/louisville/name/larry-saunders-obituary?id=22967419 |title=Larry L. Saunders |website=Legacy.com |access-date=February 29, 2024}}