OHIO COUNTY, Ky. — Generally, a Primary Election doesn’t offer much excitement, which held true for most Democrats in the county. However, Republicans decided arguably the two biggest local races, sheriff and judge-executive, and those weren’t the only races decided by GOP voters.
In the big local race of the night, Republican incumbent Ohio County Judge-Executive David Johnston held on to the seat for a fourth term.
Johnston fought off two Primary Election opponents tonight, Ray Goff and David Randolph. The race between Johnston and Goff was tight as the returns slowly came in, but Johnston eventually prevailed receiving 1,958 votes to Goff’s 1,707. Randolph received 128 votes. Since there is no Democrat opponent for Johnston in the General Election, he will begin his fourth term in 2023.
In the race for Ohio County Sheriff, Republican incumbent Tracy Beatty fell to fellow Republican challenger, Adam Wright. This race was close early, but as the night went on, Wright’s lead continued to increase as each voting center reported its results. Wright received 2,235 votes to Beatty’s 1,617. Since no Democrat filed to run for sheriff, Wright will begin his term as sheriff in January 2023.
In the Republican 1st District Magistrate race, former First District Magistrate Michael McKenney held off two other Republicans to move on to face the Democratic incumbent, Sam Small, in the General Election. Interestingly enough, when McKenney held the First District Magistrate’s seat, he, too, was a Democrat. Small defeated McKenney in the 2014 Primary Election.
In the Democrat primary race for Third District Magistrate, Scott Tichenor defeated the incumbent, Joe Barnes. Barnes has had a history of close races over his two terms, but until tonight, he always prevailed. Tichenor received 200 votes to Barnes 133 votes. Tichenor will face off against Republican Bo Bennett in the General Election.
In the Republican race for Fourth District Magistrate, Kenneth Calloway defeated his opponent Helen Dever. Calloway received 384 votes to Dever’s 270 votes. Calloway will move on to the General Election to face Democrat Bryn Aud. The winner of the General Election race will be replacing the retiring Larry Keown as magistrate.
In the Republican primary for Fifth District Magistrate, incumbent Larry Morphew defeated three challengers. Morphew received 446 votes, while Dewayne Johnson got 251 votes, Tim Johnston got 153 votes and Keith L. Nelson received 85 votes. Morphew will go on to serve his third term as magistrate due to his having no Democrat opponent in the General Election.
Two Republicans faced off in the First District Constable’s race. Incumbent Joe Renfrow defeated Ronnie Schroader after receiving 303 votes to Schroader’s 265 votes. Renfrow has no General Election opponent and will remain First District Constable for another term.
The Second District also had two Republicans filing for the office of constable. Steven Epley defeated Darnell Noble, receiving 375 votes to Noble’s 293 votes. Epley will face Democrat Paul Lindsey in the General Election.
In what has become a trend in the county’s constable races, the Third District also had two Republicans face off for the office. David Himes defeated Jeremy Nance, receiving 474 votes to Nance’s 288 votes. Himes has no Democrat opponent in the General Election.
In the Fourth District, two more Republicans filed for the office of constable. Incumbent Justin Cooper defeated his opponent, Jacob Culbertson, receiving 459 votes to Culbertson’s 116 votes. Cooper will remain Fourth District Constable for another term as he has no Democrat opponent for the General Election.
In the Fifth District, much like the other districts, two Republicans faced off for the office of constable. Nathan Geary received 667 votes defeating Anthony Abney who received 196 votes.
In the state’s primary races, there weren’t many surprises. In the Republican primary for United States Senator, incumbent Rand Paul was a big favorite of Ohio County Republicans. Paul received 3,118 votes, which was 85% of the total votes cast. Of Paul’s five challengers, Valerie Frederick was closest in votes with 166.
Statewide Paul won in a landslide and will go on to face Democrat Charles Booker who won the primary race statewide and collected 609 votes in Ohio County. He, too, finished way ahead of his three challengers in Ohio County. The closest challenger to Booker, John Merrill, received 146 votes.
In the primary races for the United States Representative in the Second Congressional District, incumbent Republican Brett Guthrie received 74% of the vote in Ohio County. Guthrie got 2,680 votes and his nearest of the two challengers, Lee Watts, received 781 votes. Guthrie also prevailed in the statewide Republican primary.
Guthrie will move on to the General Election to face Democrat Hank Linderman who defeated his primary challenger William Compton in a fairly close race in both Ohio County and statewide. Linderman received 500 votes in Ohio County, to Compton’s 469 votes. Statewide, Linderman received 15,225 votes to Compton’s 10,922.
Overall, there were 4,975 votes cast in today’s Primary Election. That total is up just a bit from 2018’s 4,769 total votes.
Ohio County will head back to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 8, for the General Election.
Below is a full list of results for the 2022 Primary Election. Results are not official until certified last this week in Frankfort.
OHIO COUNTY JUDGE-EXECUTIVE
David Johnston (R) – Incumbent – 1,958 – 51.62%
Ray Goff (R) – 1,707 – 45%
David Randolph (R) – 160 – 4.42%
OHIO COUNTY SHERIFF
Tracy Beatty (R) – Incumbent – 1,617 – 41.98%
Adam Wright (R) – 2,235 – 58.02%
OHIO COUNTY PVA
Arthur Leach (R)
OHIO COUNTY CLERK
Bess Tichenor Ralph (D) – Incumbent
OHIO COUNTY JAILER
Democratic Primary
Terry L. Wright (D)
Republican Primary
Landon Spurlock (R)
OHIO COUNTY CORONER
Elvis Doolin (R) – Incumbent
FIRST DISTRICT MAGISTRATE
Democratic Primary
Sam Small (D) – Incumbent
Republican Primary
Angela J. Rhye-Farris (R) – 150 – 24.12%
Michael Ray McKenney (R) – 277 – 44.53%
WM Dwight Smith (R) – 195 – 31.55%
SECOND DISTRICT MAGISTRATE
Jason Bullock (D) – Incumbent
THIRD DISTRICT MAGISTRATE
Democratic Primary
Joe Barnes (D) – Incumbent – 133 – 39.94%
Scott G. Tichenor (D) – 200 – 60.06%
Republican Primary
Bo Bennett (R)
FOURTH DISTRICT MAGISTRATE
Democratic Primary
Bryn Aud (D)
Republican Primary
Helen Dever (R) – 270 – 41.28%
Kenneth Calloway (R) – 384 – 58.72%
FIFTH DISTRICT MAGISTRATE
Larry Morphew (R) – Incumbent – 446 – 47.70%
Dewayne Johnson (R) – 251- 26.84%
Keith Nelson (R) – 85 – 9.09%
Timothy Johnston (R) – 153 – 16.36%
OHIO COUNTY ATTORNEY
Justin S. Keown (R) – Incumbent
FIRST DISTRICT CONSTABLE
Ronakia (Ronnie) Schroader (R) – 265 – 46.65%
Joey L Renfrow (R) – 303 – 53.35%
SECOND DISTRICT CONSTABLE
Democratic Primary
Paul E Lindsey (D)
Republican Primary
Steven Epley (R) – 375 – 56.14%
Darnell Noble (R) – 293 – 43.86
THIRD DISTRICT CONSTABLE
Jeremy Nance (R) – 288 – 37.80%
David Arrel Himes (R) – 474 – 62.20%
FOURTH DISTRICT CONSTABLE
Justin Cooper (R) – 459 – 79.83%
William Jacob Culbertson (R) – 116 – 20.17%
FIFTH DISTRICT CONSTABLE
Anthony L Abney (R) – 196 – 22.71%
Nathan Geary (R) – 667 – 77.29%
OHIO COUNTY SURVEYOR
William Tracy Crume (R)
Regional and state races:
STATE REPRESENTATIVE 14TH DISTRICT
Scott Lewis (R) – Incumbent
2ND DISTRICT U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
(The very recent redistricting in Kentucky moved Ohio County from the 1st District to the 2nd District.)
Democratic Primary
William Dakota Compton (D) – 469 – 48.40%
Hank Linderman (D) – 500 – 51.60%
Republican Primary
Brett Guthrie (R) – Incumbent – 2,680 – 74.01%
Brent Feher (R) – 160 – 4.42%
E. Lee Watts (R) – 21.57%
U.S. SENATOR
Republican Primary
Arnold Blankenship (R) – 107 – 2.92%
Valerie “Dr. Val” Fredrick (R) – 166 – 4.54%
Rand Paul (R) – Incumbent – 3,118 – 85.21%
John Schiess (R) – 34 – 0.93%
Tami L. Stainfield (R) – 83 – 2.27%
Democratic Primary
Joshua Wesley Blanton Sr. (D) – 133 – 13.27%
Charles Booker (D) – 609 – 60.78%
Ruth Gao (D) – 114 – 11.38%
John Merrill (D) – 146 – 14.57%
