Draft:Robert R. Martin (Kentucky politician)

Robert Richard Martin (December 27, 1910 – November 29, 1997) was an American politician and educator from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He was elected as the 30th Kentucky Superintendent of Public Instruction in 1955 before being chosen as the 7th President of Eastern Kentucky State College (now Eastern Kentucky University). Following the end of his tenure at Eastern, Martin was elected and served as a Democratic member of the Kentucky Senate from 1978 until 1986. He represented Kentucky's 22nd Senate district, which at the time was comprised of Garrard, Jessamine, Madison, and Mercer counties.

Election
1955 Martin won the 1955 Kentucky Superintendent of Public Instruction election, winning with 432,410 votes (61.2%) against Republican candidate Verne P. Horne.

Elections
1977 Martin won the 1977 Democratic primary against Michael Conover, winning with 7,317 votes (53.4%), and won the 1977 Kentucky Senate election against Republican candidate James C. Murphy, winning with 12,360 votes (63.2%). He assumed office on January 3, 1978.

1981 Martin won the 1981 Democratic primary against challengers John Lackey and Marlene Bivins, winning with 7,144 votes (38.5%), and was unopposed in the 1981 Kentucky Senate election, winning with 12,519 votes.

Legacy

 * Martin Hall - Eastern Kentucky University
 * Martin Room - Eastern Kentucky University