Thomas Dale Emberton Sr. (July 14, 1932 — October 20, 2022) was an American politician and judge in the state of Kentucky.
Senator and Governor Happy Chandler of Versailles received the remaining 39,493 votes (5.1 percent), running as an Independent.
Prior to his gubernatorial candidacy, Emberton served as a member of the Public Service Commission in the Nunn administration.
In 1980, he ran in Kentucky's 5th congressional district but lost the primary to the eventual winner, Hal Rogers of Somerset in Pulaski County, who still holds the seat.
In 1987, Democratic Governor Wallace Wilkinson appointed him to fill a vacancy on the Kentucky Court of Appeals.