Ky. state senator appointed Tennessee health commissioner

WINCHESTER, Ky. (WKYT) - Kentucky state senator Ralph Alvarado is headed to a new job in Tennessee.

A news release says Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has appointed Alvarado, who is also a physician, to be commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Public Health.

Alvarado has decades of experience as an attending doctor and in healthcare management. A Republican from Winchester, he has served as a state senator since being elected in 2014. He is also the first Hispanic person elected to the Kentucky legislature.

Alvarado was former Governor Matt Bevin’s running mate in 2019 when the two narrowly lost to Andy Beshear and Jacqueline Coleman.

Alvarado’s resignation from the state senate will trigger a special election in the 28th district which includes part of Fayette County and all of Bath, Clark, Menifee and Montgomery Counties.

Senate President Robert Stivers released this statement about Alvarado:

“I look back fondly on when I first met Ralph and Dawn Alvarado. In our collective efforts to first get Ralph elected, we developed a strong friendship. I knew from the start he would succeed in the state Senate, just as he has as a medical professional. I have no doubt the same will be true in his new role.

“Senator Alvarado has been among the most effective legislators in the Kentucky General Assembly, and we have leaned trustingly on his expertise and insight on health policy matters and so much more. His fingerprints are deeply embedded in the many successes Kentucky has experienced this past decade.

“Senator Alvarado will remain the representative of Senate District 28 through the first week of the 2023 Legislative Session and up until he resigns or takes his oath of office in Tennessee’s executive branch. His presence is critical to the start of our 2023 session because historically, key legislation has been crafted and passed at this time.

“We wish Ralph all the best in his transition to his new, high-profile role as commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health. Tennessee is one of the fastest growing states in our nation, and Ralph will make an incredible addition to Governor Lee’s team.”

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