State Senate President David Williams is one of three people nominated for an open circuit court seat in his home district and he said Thursday he would accept the position.
"I am appreciative of the nomination and if the Governor appoints me, I will accept the position," Williams said in a prepared statement.
The other two nominees are both lawyers.
Angela Capps is a public defender and Stephen Douglas Hurt is a retired district court judge.
All three nominees live in Burkesville.
Governor Steve Beshear has 60-days to appoint one of the three nominees.
The open seat is in the 40th Circuit, which covers Clinton, Cumberland and Monroe counties.
The seat was held by veteran Judge Eddie Lovelace, who died unexpectedly in September. His family said they believe he is a victim of the nationwide meningitis outbreak linked to fungus-tainted steroid injections.
Republican David Williams has been Senate President since 2000. He has been called both brilliant and abrasive.
He has clashed with Governor Beshear and other Democrats since Beshear took office 5-years ago.
Beshear beat Williams easily in the last gubernatorial election in 2011. Their relationship has been contentious.
The person appointed to fill the vacancy on the bench would serve the two years remaining in the term of late Judge Lovelace.
If the appointee wishes to retain the seat, he or she would have to run for the office in the next regularly scheduled election for circuit judges in 2014.
Beshear's office has not said when the governor will make the appointment.
