Tori was also active in the congressional campaigns of her late husband, Martin, who ran for Kentucky's 2nd district U.S. House seat in 1988 and 1990.
Using the slogan "the man for the job is a woman", Tori ran a hard campaign that focused on veterans' issues, a highly appealing topic to the district that includes Fort Knox.
When the Republican Party gained control of the Kentucky Senate in January 2000, Tori was elevated to Majority Whip, making her the highest ranking woman in the legislature.
Following the 2004 election, Tori stepped down from her party leadership position to take the chairmanship of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.
On November 7, 2006, Tori won a fourth term in the Kentucky State Senate by defeating Hardin County Magistrate Doug Goodman by a wide margin.