More surprises in candidate filings as deadline ends

Nita Johnson, The Sentinel Echo, London, Ky.
·4 min read

Jan. 26—The filing deadline for candidates in the 2022 political races ended at 4 p.m. Tuesday, with two more filing for offices and one city council member dropping out for re-election but filing to run for a state office.

Daniel Carmack withdrew from the city council race and filed to run for 85th District Representative.

Carmack said he had not been considering withdrawing from the council race until Tuesday.

"I wasn't planning this but I've had some people call me and ask me to run for representative so they could have a voice at the table for Pulaski and Laurel county," he said. "I want to work toward serving the 85th District and look forward to bringing the region together."

Currently Shane Baker represents the 85th District which includes parts of western Laurel County and Pulaski County. Carmack said he had no ill will toward Baker, who has done a good job in his first term as representative. But the urging of citizens in the area prompted Carmack to enter the state race rather than seek another term on the London City Council.

"I've got another year on the council and there's a lot to do there," he added. "Shane is a good man but the people asked me to reconsider running for city council and represent them and about 2:30 today, I decided to withdraw from the council race and file for the Representative race."

Carmack's withdrawal from the city council race still leaves the total city council candidates at 16, which will require a primary run-off in May. Of those candidates (listed below), the 12 candidates who receive the highest number of votes will be listed on the November ballot, with the top six vote getters serving on the council.

Tuesday's deadline also added another candidate to the District 4 Magistrate list with Ryan Blake Gray adding his name to the list of two others seeking to unseat incumbent Jeff Book. Only District 2 Magistrate Danny Smith and District 6 magistrate Richard Bales are uncontested in the 2022 election.

Jimmy Durham tossed his hat into the ring, filing for Constable of District 4 against incumbent Carl Cheek and three other contenders.

The final list of candidates for local races are:

County Judge Executive — David Westerfield (incumbent)

County Attorney — J. L. Albright (incumbent)

County Clerk — Joe "Tony" Brown (incumbent), Roger Wattenbarger

Property Valuation Administrator — Don McFadden, Neil Warren, Christina McCreary, Michael "Mickey" Adams

Sheriff — John Root (incumbent)

Jailer — Jamie Mosley (incumbent), Walter Trebolo III

Coroner — Mike Masters, Doug Bowling (incumbent)

County Surveyor — Chris Hubbard (incumbent)

Mayor — Randall Weddle, Judd Weaver, Jacob Michael Kirby

London City Council — Jerry Smiroldo, Justin R. Young, Sherrie Mays, Chase Carson, Stewart Walker, Rodney Johnson, Kelly Green Smith (incumbent), Joshua Samples, Eric "EC" Lancaster, Stacy Benge, Wes Benge, Holly Little, Kip Jervis (incumbent), Tom Thompson, Donnie Lee Philpot and Marty Huff

Magistrate District 1 — John Crawford (incumbent), Wesley Douglas Hampton, Guy Williams, Albert Yaden

Magistrate District 2 — Danny Smith (incumbent)

Magistrate District 3 — Bobby Overbay (incumbent), Teddy Benge

Magistrate District 4 — Jeff Book (incumbent), Delbert Burkhart, Edward Tincher, Ryan Blake Gray

Magistrate District 5 — Billy B. Oakley (incumbent), Chantz M. McPeek, Christopher Shane Brewer

Magistrate District 6 — Richard D. Bales (incumbent)

Constable District 1 — Dawn Renee Hearn, Justin A. Williams

Constable District 2 — Kenneth Hutton, Steven D. Cornn (incumbent)

Constable District 3 — Jimmy L. Lewis (incumbent)

Constable District 4 — Carl R. Cheek, Travis Gregory (incumbent), Kenneth Wayne Ellington, Garry W. Long, Jimmy Durham

Constable District 5 — Richard "Rick" Yaden

Constable District 6 — David O. Griffin, Bobby "Bubba" Hall, Robert Smith

71st District State Representative — Josh Bray

82nd District State Representative — Nicolas "Nick" Wilson

85th District State Representative — Daniel Carmack, R. Shane Baker (incumbent), John P. Alexander, Bryon J. Vaught

86th District State Representative — Tom Odell Smith (incumbent), Keith Dinsmore

89th District State Representative — Timmy Truett (incumbent), Brittany Porter Oliver

90th District State Representative — Derek Lewis (incumbent)

5th District US Representative — Conor Halbleib, Jeannette Andrews, Rich Van Dam, Brandon Russell Monhollen, Harold "Hal" Rogers, Gerardo Serrano

US Senator — Joshua Wesley Blanton Sr., Charles Booker, Ruth Gao, John Merrill, Arnold Blankenship, Valerie "Dr Val" Fredrick, Paul V. Hamilton, Rand Paul, John Schiess, Tami L. Stainfield

27th Circuit Court Judge/Division 1 — Gregory A. Lay

27th Circuit Court Judge/Division 2 — Michael O. Caperton

District Judge 34th District/Division 1 — Cathy E. Prewitt, Seth Reeves

District Judge 34th District/Division 2 — Fred F. White

Circuit Judge Family Court 27th District/Division 3 — Stephen M. Jones