HARTFORD, Ky. — Just over 24 percent of Ohio County registered voters took part in what became an important and historic 2020 Primary Election. Important because of the national and statewide focus put on the Kentucky Democratic Senate Primary and historic because voters had three ways to vote in the election, including mail-in absentee ballot.
Pre-pandemic, the Kentucky Democratic Senate Primary seemed like a sure victory for Amy McGrath, however, two to three weeks before the election, that all changed. Several weeks ago, freshman State Representative Charles Booker began gaining ground on McGrath. Booker was gaining so much ground, the entire nation began focusing on the race.
Booker, who started out as a relative unknown to most Kentuckians, quickly became a household name to many in the state and across the nation. Early polls had Booker 30 points behind McGrath, but as Election Day neared, Booker had closed the gap to single digits, which was a remarkable feat.
In the end, Ohio County and Kentucky Democrats selected McGrath to be the candidate to face off against the incumbent Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the 2020 General Election. However, McGrath’s path to victory wasn’t easy, and some could argue that if it wasn’t for early mail-in absentee voting, Booker might have been the pick of Kentucky Democrats to battle McConnell.
In the Kentucky Democratic Senate Primary, statewide, McGrath won 45.4 percent of the vote to Booker’s 42.62 percent of the vote. There were other candidates in the race that made up the remaining 11.98 percent of the votes.
In Ohio County, McGrath secured 64 percent of the vote, while Booker received 22 percent of the vote. The other candidates in the race combined to recieve 14.5 percent of the vote.
In the Kentucky Republican Senate Primary, the McConnell had a much easier time than McGrath, but he did face several challengers. Statewide, McConnell secured 82.20 percent of the Republican votes with his next closest challenger, C. Wesley Morgan, receiving 6.8 percent of the votes. Five other Republican candidates shared the remaining 11 percent of the votes.
McConnell received 83 percent of the vote from Ohio County Republicans, with Morgan and the other candidates sharing the remaining 17 percent.
The candidates for President of the United States were decided long before Kentuckians got a say on the matter, however, both candidates won their races in Kentucky.
Incumbent Republican President Donald Trump had no opponent in this year’s Primary Election and secured 86.65 percent of the vote from Kentucky Republicans. There were, however, 13.35 percent who voted “UNCOMMITTED” in the Republican Presidential Primary.
In Ohio County, Trump secured 92 percent of the vote, while “UNCOMMITTED” received 8 percent of the vote from county Republicans.
In the Democratic Presidential Primary, Kentucky Democrats selected former Vice President Joe Biden as their candidate. Biden received 67.91 percent of the vote in Kentucky, while Senator Bernie Sanders, Biden’s closest challenger, received 12.09 percent of the vote. The third-place vote-getter in the Democratic Presidential Primary was “UNCOMMITTED,” which received 10.85 percent of the vote
In Ohio County, much like the state, Biden was the pick of the Democrats getting 66 percent of the vote. In Ohio County, Biden’s next closest challenger was “UNCOMMITTED,” with 15.04 percent of the vote followed by Sanders with 9 percent.
While there were some concerns about election fraud during the Primary Election, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams reported no cases of election fraud.
2020 Primary Election Results for Ohio County – statewide winners in bold – County turnout – 4,366 – 24.12% – State turnout – 28.87%
President of the United States – REPUBLICAN (Vote for 1)
Donald J. TRUMP – 2,373 – 91.62% – (KY – 86.65%)
UNCOMMITTED – 217 – 8.38% – (KY – 13.35%)
U.S. Senator – REPUBLICAN (Vote for 1)
Mitch McCONNELL – 2,061 – 83.04% – (KY – 82.20%)
Nicholas ALSAGER – 43 – 1.73% – (KY – 0.87%)
Paul John FRANGEDAKIS – 59 – 2.38% – (KY – 2.89%)
Louis GRIDER – 70 – 2.82% – (KY – 3.33%)
Naren JAMES – 33 – 1.33% – (KY – 2.58%)
Kenneth LOWNDES – 29 – 1.17% – (KY – 1.34%)
C. Wesley Morgan – 187- 7.53% – (KY – 6.18%)
President of the United States – DEMOCRATIC (Vote for 1)
Joseph R. BIDEN – 1,114 – 66.51% – (KY – 67.91%)
Pete BUTTIGIEG – 19 – 1.13% – (KY – 1.70%)
Tom STEYER – 8 – 0.48% – (KY – 0.49%)
Tulsi GABBARD – 21 – 1.25% – (KY – 1.09%)
Michael BENNET – 22 – 1.31% – (KY – 0.47%)
Amy KLOBUCHAR – 24 – 1.43% – (KY – 0.98%)
Bernie SANDERS – 149 – 8.90% – (KY – 12.09%)
Deval PATRICK – 2 – 0.12% – (KY – 0.22%)
Andrew YANG – 20 – 1.19% – (KY – 1.35%)
Elizabeth WARREN – 44 – 2.63% – (KY – 2.84%)
UNCOMMITTED – 252 – 15.04% – (KY – 10.85%)
U.S. Senator – DEMOCRATIC (Vote for 1)
Amy McGRATH – 1,081 – 69.59% – (KY – 45.41%)
Charles BOOKER – 371 – 21.82% – (KY – 42.62%)
Jimmy C. AUSBROOKS – 16 – 0.94% – (KY – 0.67%)
Mike BROIHIER – 49 – 2.88% – (KY – 4.99%)
Maggie Jo HILLIARD – 27 – 1.59% – (KY – 1.14%)
Andrew J. MAYNARD – 19 – 1.12% – (KY – 1.10%)
Eric ROTHMULLER – 7 – 0.41% – (KY – 0.55%)
John R. SHARPENSTEEN – 13 – 0.76% – (KY – 0.55%)
Bennie J. SMITH – 34 – 2% – (KY – 0.93%)
Mary Ann TOBIN – 83 – 4.88% – (KY – 2.04%)