Jimmy Higdon

James Cecil Higdon Jr. was born on July 15, 1953, in Lebanon, Kentucky to Cecil and Alice Higdon. He graduated from Marion County High School in 1971, and from Morehead State University in 1975, earning a Bachelor of Science in industrial technology. He then served in the United States Army Reserve from 1976 to 1984.

In 1976, Higdon returned to Lebanon and became a partner in the Key Market grocery store, which was later renamed Higdon's Foodtown. The store closed in January 2011 following three consecutive years of losses. He noted that, “independent grocers are like dinosaurs, there's a few less every year.”

Political career

Higdon was first elected to the house in 2002 following the retirement of incumbent Democratic representative William Scott. He was elected to the 24th district, defeating Democratic candidate Connie Sue Rakes with 51.1 percent of the vote. He was reelected to the house in 2004, 2006, and 2008.

On December 8, 2009, Higdon won a special election to Kentucky's 14th Senate district, which had been vacated by the resignation of senator Dan Kelly. The election, held while Republicans maintained a slim majority in the chamber, was described by the Lexington Herald-Leader as a “closely watched race” with “much at stake.” Higdon ultimately received 56.1 percent of the vote, defeating former Democratic representative Jodie Haydon. He took the oath of office on December 16. He was subsequently reelected to full four-year terms in 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022.

Higdon has described himself as “pro-life and pro-Second Amendment.” In 2022, he received an A+ rating and the endorsement of the NRA Political Victory Fund.

Higdon served as chair of the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Committee during the 2013 and 2014 legislative sessions. In 2015, he was chosen by his Republican colleagues as the caucus's majority whip, a role he continued until his election as president pro tempore in 2018. Since the 2021 session, He has served as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.

In 2011, Higdon introduced legislation to allow voters registered as independents to vote in primary elections. Higdon argued that independents, as taxpayers, "help pay for elections, so they should be able to vote," and that "the first political party that voluntarily opens up its primary will enjoy an unfair advantage during the general election." The bill (SB 41) passed the senate in a 23 to 13 to vote, but was not approved by the house before the legislative session adjourned.

During his campaign Higdon opposed the generous pensions from which these senators benefit and vowed to try to repeal the higher pensions after he took office.

In 2011, Senator Higdon called for tighter state regulations to prevent physicians from establishing temporary clinics from which they issue prescriptions to drug abusers. A "pain clinic" of this kind opened in Lebanon in 2010, but citizens complained of van-loads of people waiting in the parking lot to purchase prescriptions. As police began to investigate, the clinic abruptly closed; the doctor was since found with another such operation in Lexington, Kentucky. Many pain clinics are legal, but others have been questioned as "pill mills".

Higdon and his wife Jane have a son, James III; and a daughter, Brittany. He is a Roman Catholic.