Johnston, Wright win primary

Ohio County Clerk Bess Ralph said just shortly after the voting centers closed Tuesday evening that turn-out was better than she expected at about 30%. There were 4,975 ballots cast from the 17,813 registered voters.

All eyes were on the judge-executive and sheriff’s races on the Republican ticket as neither race has a Democrat seeking the nomination in the primary.

In the race for judge-executive on the Republican ticket, incumbent David Johnston received over 51% of the votes to defeat challengers Ray Goff and David Randolph. Johnston received 1,958 votes to Goff’s 1,707 and Randolph’s 128.

Adam Wright emerged the winner of the Republican primary in the sheriff’s race defeating incumbent Tracy Beatty by 618 votes. Wright received 2,235 votes (58.02%) and Beatty received 1,617 (41.98%)

Johnston and Wright currently have no opposition in November’s General Election and must each receive at least one vote to be declared the winner.

Johnston was congratulated by Goff in person on his victory at the community center where the results were read Tuesday evening.

“I want to thank the voters very much,” Johnston said shortly after he secured his re-election. “I am humbled by their confidence in me and plan to continue to serve them to the best of my ability.”

If declared the winner in November, Johnston will be elected to his fourth straight term in office which is the most ever for an Ohio County judge-executive.

“I am just beyond grateful for the support that was shown by so many people in so many ways, even by people who couldn’t vote for me,” Wright said in a text message late Tuesday

night. “This has been an incredible experience and I look forward to serving the people of Ohio County in a new position.”

Beatty congratulated Wright on social media.

“Congratulations to my opponent Adam Wright. We had a good clean race and the people spoke on who they wanted as the next sheriff. We will make the transition as smooth as possible in January.”

Winners in the constable races on the Republican ticket are: District 1, on the Republican ticket Joe Renfrow defeated Ronnie Schroader by 38 votes (303 to 265); District 2 - Steven Epley received the Republican nomination with 375 votes defeating Darnell Noble’s 293 and will take on Democrat Paul E. Lindsey in November; District 3 - Republican David Himes received 474 votes to defeat Jeremy Nance by 186; District 4 - Justin Cooper received 459 votes to pick up the win over Jacob Culbertson who got 116 votes; District 5 - Nathan Geary defeated Anthony Abney 667-196. District 2 is the only race facing a Democratic challenger in November.

Incumbent Larry Morphew was the winner in the fifth district magistrate race on the Republican ticket with 446 votes defeating Dewayne Johnson (251), Tim Johnston (153) and Keith Nelson (85). The race does not currently have opposition in November.

In other races for magistrate, District 1 - Michael McKenney (277) defeated William Dwight Smith (195) and Angela Rhye-Farris (150) for the Republican nomination. He will take on Democrat Incumbent Sam Small in the November election; District 3 - Scott Tichenor defeated incumbent Joe Barnes for the Democratic nomination with 200 votes to Barnes’ 133. He will take on Republican Bo Bennett in the general election; District 4 - Kenneth Calloway won the Republican nomination over Helen G. Dever with 384 votes to Dever’s 270. He will take on Democrat Bryn Aud in November. Incumbent Jason Bullock, Democrat, is the only candidate to have filed to run for magistrate in District 2.

In the Republican primary race for United States Senator, incumbent Rand Paul defeated his challengers easily in both Ohio County as well as the state. He defeated challengers Valerie Fredrick, Paul Hamilton, John Schiess, Tami Stainfield and Arnold Blakenship. Paul had 86% of the vote when the race was called for him Tuesday night just prior to press time.

In the Democratic primary race for United States Senator, frontrunner Charles Booker had earned 77% of the votes when the race was called for him prior to press time. He defeated challengers Ruth Gao, John Merrill and Joshua Blanton Sr.

Incumbent S. Brett Guthrie picked up 74% of the votes in Ohio County and was declared the winner of the Republican nomination for U.S. House in Kentucky’s second congressional district defeating challengers E. Lee Watts and Brent Feher. He will face Democratic nominee Hank Linderman, who picked up the majority of the votes in Ohio County (51.60%) as well as the state (58.4%), in November.