GLASGOW — Republican Sen. Julie Denton, Louisville, said Tuesday she will challenge David Williams, R-Burkesville, for President of the state Senate next January.

“I think it’s time for a change and I think the (Republican) caucus is ready for a change,” Denton said Tuesday. Denton said she wants to be more inclusive and work with both parties and both chambers.

“It’s not any one thing,” Denton said. “There are always differences in leadership style. That’s not to say one’s good or the other is bad. But I like to be more inclusive within the caucus on decisions. I do want to work with the governor and the (Democratic) House, to be more inclusive, to have more communication and try to get together and try to find common ground.” She said she’s told Williams she will run.

Williams confirmed Denton spoke to him “a couple or three months ago” about running.

“I think what initiated the thing is that some Democrats contacted her about a coup d’état and she told them she wouldn’t do that, but she was interested in being president,” Williams said. “She said if she couldn’t get the votes in the Republican caucus, she would support me.”

Denton declined Tuesday to say she wouldn’t seek Democratic votes. She said her goal is to win with Republican votes but, “I’m pursuing this – probably either way.” Republicans hold a 20-17-1 majority but that makeup could change with November’s elections. If it didn’t, Denton could win the post with her vote, the 17 Democrats and by picking up the vote of the chamber’s only independent, Sen. Bob Leeper of Paducah, and one other Republican, or two more Republicans.

Denton isn’t worried about retaliation should she fail. “David and I have been friends for a long time and we’ll be friends when this is over.”

“It’s a free country and she’s free to run if she wants to,” Williams said. He said he and Denton are friends and he won’t hold any grudges. “But I’ve talked to virtually every member of the caucus in the past few days and the votes just aren’t there.”

Williams said he doesn’t understand Denton’s call for more inclusiveness.

“There’s never been a minority party more included than the Democrats in the Senate,” Williams said. “Look at how many things they vote for.”

Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, said Denton hadn’t talked to him about challenging Williams, but he’d heard rumors she might. He said he thought any challenger would wait until after the November elections but said Denton has amassed a large enough campaign fund she doesn’t need leadership’s help in fundraising. Denton faces Democrat Rick Hiles in the November election. She hasn’t filed her post-primary campaign report with the Registry of Election Finance but two weeks before the primary she had more than $190,000 on hand.

Buford said “there’s a lot of unrest” in the Republican caucus, largely because of the road plan which was passed in the special session. Buford voted against the plan because “we borrowed and borrowed and borrowed until leadership got what (projects) they wanted.”

Buford said he presently supports Williams “because no one else has spoken to me about running.” But he said Denton would be “a strong candidate because she’s smart and intelligent and she’s had success down here.” Buford doesn’t think she can do it without Democratic help.

Republicans helped Democrat Larry Saunders unseat Eck Rose as Senate president in 1999, but that eventually led to a Republican takeover when Dan Seum and Bob Leeper switched parties to become Republicans. (Leeper later switched again to become an independent.) Buford said when the minority party helps an insurgent they expect something in return – more say in legislation and committee chairmanships, and that’s not easy to manage when splitting power among both parties.

Minority Leader Ed Worley, D-Richmond, who is retiring, couldn’t be reached for comment, but Democratic Whip Sen. Jerry Rhoads of Madisonville, said he was unaware of any effort by Democrats to help Denton.

“We’re not part of any plans she has,” Rhoads said. “She hasn’t spoken with me. I’ve heard rumors but there hasn’t been any organized discussion” by the Democratic caucus about a challenge to Williams.

Sen. Tom Jensen, R-London, said he’d heard the rumors about a challenge to Williams, but Denton hasn’t spoken to him about it. He said he it would be a mistake to rely on Democrats to win the seat.

“If you can’t win within your own party, then it would not be worth it,” Jensen said, recalling the 1998 coup by Saunders. “It would divide Republicans and I would counsel against that.”

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort, Ky. He may be contacted by email at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.