The voters of the First District have returned Dickie Carter to a seat on Logan Fiscal Court, ending Russell Poore’s four-year stay in the seat located closest to Judy-Executive Logan Chick. Carter has been in that role 11 previous years.
In all those other years, he won as a Democrat. He now is a Republican. Carter was one of three Republicans winning contested elections.
Jo Orange had been the only elected Republican in partisan offices since the death of her husband, Commonwealth Attorney Charles Orange. The retired school administrator was reelected for her fourth term on fiscal court by the voters of the Fifth District. She defeated Phil Bilyeu, an Auburn businessman, 825-469.
The other Republican winner was Phil Gregory, who came within one precinct of unseating incumbent jailer Bill Jenkins four years ago. He was elected jailer Tuesday, defeating retired state police detective and commonwealth detective Wendell Jackson. The lead went back and forth all night, depending on which precinct had just reported. Gregory, a former Logan County Coroner and city-county ambulance director, won 3,853-3,692.
An incumbent magistrate won a contested race with ease as a Democrat. Drexel Johnson, a North Logan resident who is well known for leading the highly successful small engine and antique tractor show at Auburn, earned a second term in District Four with an 826-465 win over Republican Matthew Latham.
A big winner among the Democrats was incumbent State Representative Martha Jane King, who won her fourth term representing Logan and Todd counties. This year a portion of Warren County is also included. King, who works well with Republicans along with those in her own party, defeated independent candidate Jason Petrie of Todd County 6,804-4,631. She took Logan County 4,879 -2,324, which greatly offset Petrie’s approximately 300-vote majority in Todd County.
For the first time in 19 years, Logan and Todd counties will have a new district judge. Ken Williams of Logan County won handily over Nan Calloway Tuesday, getting over 7,200 votes to Calloway’s almost 2,300 votes. Sue Carol Browning, who has been serving as district judge since the mid-90s, did not seek reelection.
U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, both Republicans, were big winners in both Logan County and in Kentucky. Republicans did well across the nation.
?"I want to thank everyone for their support, and hard work on our team. I am honored to have the privilege of serving the First District of Kentucky again,” Whitfield said afterwards. “I believe the American people sent a clear message tonight that they are tired of the extreme policies of this administration. I look forward to working together with my fellow members of Congress and the executive branch to solve our nation’s problems."
Lewisburg will have a new mayor. Bert Adler defeated Lucian Hunt Jr. overwhelmingly, 166-38. Incumbent Mayor Tina Callahan-Dye did not seek reelection for health reasons.
Two new councilmen were elected in contested races.
Barry Bilyeu, a young automobile dealer in Auburn, began his political career by winning a seat on Auburn’s council. He joins (in voting order) Rex Evans, Randy Rust, Steve Montgomery, Bobby Price and Norma Kutzman on that legislative body.
In Russellville, retired Electric Plant Board superintendent Larry Wilkins was elected to that council. Returning to their council seats, in order of votes, are Jimmy Davenport, Sandra Kinser, Pat Walpole Bell, Jack Whipple and Darlene Gooch in that role.
Several county officials were reelected without opposition in either the primary or general election. They included Circuit Judge Tyler Gill, County Judge Chick, County Attorney Joe Ross, County Clerk Scottie Harper, Circuit Clerk Sherry Wilkins, Property Valuation Administrator Ben Brown, and Surveyor Jeff Harris. Sheriff Wallace Whittaker, Coroner Mary Givens and magistrates Jack Crossley, Barry Wright and Thomas Bouldin won contested races in their primaries and were unopposed this fall.
Elected to the Lewisburg Council were Steven E. Nichols, Jason W. Bradley, Kathy Whitescarver-Stewart and Jason Harper. Two more council members will be appointed in 2015.
Reelected to the Adairville Council were Becky Tinch, Danny Finch, Art Violette, Bill Steen, Brent Johnson and Michelle Trimble without opposition.
WRUS Radio News reported election results on Facebook as they came in and then did totals over the air and the internet afterwards. Don Neagle and Chris McGinnis headed that coverage with help from Ryan Craig of the Todd County Standard.