Brereton C. Jones

Brereton C. Jones
Jones in 1998
58th Governor of Kentucky
In office December 10, 1991 – December 12, 1995
Lieutenant	Paul Patton
Preceded by	Wallace Wilkinson
Succeeded by	Paul Patton
50th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
In office December 8, 1987 – December 10, 1991
Governor	Wallace G. Wilkinson
Preceded by	Steve Beshear
Succeeded by	Paul Patton
Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates
In office 1964–1968
Personal details
Born	Brereton Chandler Jones (1939-06-27)June 27, 1939 Gallipolis, Ohio, U.S.
Died	September 18, 2023(2023-09-18) (aged 84) Midway, Kentucky, U.S.
Political party	Democratic (after 1975)
Other political affiliations	Republican (until 1975)
Spouse	Libby Jones ​ (m. 1970)​
Children	2
Parent	E. Bartow Jones (father)
Alma mater	University of Virginia
Occupation	Horse breeder politician
Profession	Thoroughbred horse farm owner

Brereton Chandler Jones (June 27, 1939 – September 18, 2023) was an American politician from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. From 1991 to 1995, he was the state's 58th governor, and had served from 1987 to 1991 as the 50th lieutenant governor of Kentucky. After his governorship, he chaired the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), a lobbying organization for the Kentucky horse industry.

Born in Ohio and raised in West Virginia, Jones became the youngest-ever member of the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1964. Two years later, he was chosen as the Republican floor leader in the House. In 1968, he decided to leave politics and focus on his real estate business. He married Elizabeth "Libby" Lloyd in 1970 and in 1972 the family moved to historic Airdrie Farm, Libby's family estate in Woodford County, Kentucky. There, Jones founded Airdrie Stud, now an internationally recognized Thoroughbred farm. Although he remained mostly out of politics, Jones changed his party affiliation to Democratic in 1975, and was appointed to various boards and commissions by governors John Y. Brown Jr. and Martha Layne Collins.

In 1987, Jones announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor, admitting that he considered the office a stepping stone to some day becoming governor. He was elected, but experienced a poor relationship with Governor Wallace Wilkinson throughout their four-year terms. Jones was elected governor in 1991, turning back a challenge from Governor Wilkinson's wife Martha in the Democratic primary. Although Jones maintained a strained relationship with the Kentucky General Assembly following comments he made in the wake of the federal Operation Boptrot investigation, he was still able to pass much of his agenda, including an amendment that would allow state officials to succeed themselves in office once. However, he achieved only a partial victory on his top priority – healthcare reform. While the legislature acceded to many of Jones's proposals, such as eliminating the practice of denying insurance coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, they did not approve his mandate for universal health care for all Kentuckians.

Following his term in office, Jones founded the Kentucky Equine Education Project.