Harry Lee Waterfield

Harry Lee Waterfield (January 19, 1911 – August 4, 1988), an American Democrat politician, he served as the 42nd and 44th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky and unsuccessfully sought election as Governor of Kentucky.

Waterfield was originally from Calloway County, Kentucky. He published the Hickman County Gazette and four other West Kentucky newspapers, was president of the Kentucky Press Association and a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1938–47 and 1950–51. He was House speaker in 1944–46 and sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 1947, 1959 and 1967. He founded Investors Heritage Life Insurance Co. in Frankfort in 1961 and served as its president and chairman until his death.^[1]

Waterfield twice won election as

Waterfield was generally considered anti-administration before winning his 1955 lieutenant governor's race. He was a major figure in the drive for legislative independence. As house speaker, he fought for creation of a legislative research commission which became reality in 1948. He was the second director of the LRC from 1957 to 1959.

Waterfield became a factional ally of Chandler, though at first they were not friendly to one another politically. In 1947 Waterfield sought election as

Waterfield was a Kentucky delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1948 and 1956 and helped lead an attempt to secure the Democratic nomination for president for Happy Chandler in 1956.

The primary library at Waterfield's alma mater, Murray State University, is named in his honor.^[3]

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