{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The News Journal","provider_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net","title":"Voters elect Huff, Willis by sizeable margins &ndash; The News Journal","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"BD40FL6ImY\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/voters-elect-huff-willis-by-sizeable-margins\/\">Voters elect Huff, Willis by sizeable margins<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/voters-elect-huff-willis-by-sizeable-margins\/embed\/#?secret=BD40FL6ImY\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Voters elect Huff, Willis by sizeable margins&#8221; &#8212; The News Journal\" data-secret=\"BD40FL6ImY\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Rep.-Huff-03-07-19-2-.jpg","thumbnail_width":480,"thumbnail_height":475,"description":"One week after the last votes were cast in the 2020 Kentucky Primary Election were cast, the results were certified, and 82nd District State Rep. Regina Petrey Huff, R-Williamsburg, and Interim Whitley County Clerk Carolyn Willis each won their respective races by wide margins. Willis, who had taken over the job following the retirement of Kay Schwartz, defeated Terry \u201cTJ\u201d Hamblin, by a vote of 5,154 to 2,015. \u201cI feel so very blessed,\u201d Willis said. \u201cI\u2019m humbly blessed.\u201d \u201cI feel like I campaigned for 25 years on the front line, trying to meet everyone\u2019s needs,\u201d said Willis who served as a deputy clerk for many years prior to her appointment as interim clerk. \u201cThey showed their gratitude.\u201d Hamblin said he appreciated the support he received. \u201cI want to tell my supporters how appreciative I am. It is truly humbling to have that many people supporting you out in the community,\u201d Hamblin said. \u201cOne thing that I think I had against me was the early and mail-in voting. The percentages there were significantly in favor of Mrs. Willis, whereas the in-person votes were very close,\u201d he added. As to his political future, Hamblin said that is unknown, but he did not rule out running for office again.. \u201cI don\u2019t know right now if I will try to tackle this again in two years,\u201d Hamblin said. \u201cI am keeping all of my campaign materials, and I\u2019m going to do a lot of praying about it. In the end, I will do what I feel is best for myself and my family. I don\u2019t know where the Lord will end up leading us, though. I will just have to make that decision when the time comes.\u201d Hamblin said he will continue to be active in his community moving forward. He said that he has learned a lot throughout this process that he will be able to apply to his next campaign, assuming he decides to run again. He said that anyone who is willing to take the leap of running for a political office should be commended and respected for doing so, as it takes a lot of courage. Huff, who was facing a second consecutive challenge from Matt Anderson, won by substantial margins in both Whitley and Southern Laurel County. Huff garnered 4,535 votes in Whitley County to Anderson\u2019s 2,564. In Laurel County, Huff outpaced Anderson, 864 to 474. The final vote tally was 5,399 for Huff to 3,038 for Anderson. Huff\u2019s numbers were up from 2018 when she faced Anderson in the Republican Primary, winning 4,961 to Anderson\u2019s 3,841. Huff said she is once again humbled by the amount of support she received from the voters in the 82nd District. \u201cI want to express my sincerest gratitude to the good folks of Whitley and Southern Laurel County for their support!\u201d Huff said. \u201cIt is important to me that I serve them well and that they have faith in me. Every election is where I am evaluated for my job performance, and a substantial win like this one is affirmation that, for the most part, our district is pleased.\u201d I intend to work hard to ensure that the 82nd District has a strong voice in Frankfort and that those I represent continue to have faith in me, in my service, and are pleased that I am their voice in Frankfort,\u201d she said. No Democrat filed in the race, meaning Huff will be unopposed on the ballot in November, barring a write-in campaign. Willis said the final turnout was 33 percent of registered voters. I\u2019m real, real, real pleased,\u201d Willis said, noting that number is extrodinary for a primary election without the benefit of the county-wide races filling the ballot. Willis said the option of early voting and mail-in voting definitely helped turnout. The total number of walk-in voters really surprised me,\u201d Willis said, adding that she would like to see the General Assembly make the necessary changes to have that an option in future elections."}