Jailer’s race gets more crowded after Lawson’s exit

The Whitley County Jailer’s race saw the withdrawal last Thursday of one high profile candidate.

Incumbent Jailer Brian Lawson filed paperwork at the Whitley County Clerk’s Office to officially withdraw from the race about 1 p.m. last Thursday.

Lawson couldn’t be reached for comment.

Lawson was first elected as jailer in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018.

He had been seeking his third term in office before withdrawing from the race Thursday.

Prior to being elected jailer, Lawson spent nine years working at the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department and was a sergeant there when he was elected jailer.

Also, on Thursday, three other candidates filed to run for jailer, including current Whitley County Detention Center employees Andrew Fuson and Sandra Hoke in addition to Jeff Hurst.

Williamsburg Police Lt. Brandon Duane White and Matthew Leach have previously filed to run for jailer.

Numerous other candidates have also recently filed to run for office in Whitley County next year.

For the first time in more than two decades, there will be a contested race for Whitley County PVA.

Incumbent PVA Ronnie Moses filed to run for re-election Wednesday as did his opponent, Herb Petrey of Williamsburg.

Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus filed Monday to run for re-election, and so far is unopposed as is Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison.

The third and fourth-constable district races are getting more competitive.

On Sunday, Incumbent Third-District Constable Jim Thornton announced on Facebook that he would be running for sheriff instead of re-election as constable, but so far he has not officially filed paperwork in the sheriff’s department race.

Both Justin Daniel Oaks and Jordan Davis have filed to run for third-district constable.

Incumbent Fourth-District Constable Andy Moses is facing opposition from Carl Allen Wade and Malachi Hersey.

Incumbent constables Lonnie Lee Foley (first-district) and Ron “Bubba” Bowling (second-district), have both filed to seek re-election and currently are unopposed.

So far only four candidates have officially filed to run for Whitley County Sheriff.

Current Chief Deputy Tim Baker has already filed to run for sheriff as has retired Kentucky State Police Trooper and current sheriff’s department School Resource Officer Willard Scott Bunch, retired KSP Lt. and current Corbin School Resource Officer William “Bill” Elliotte, and Williamsburg resident Benny Joe (BJ) Leach.

Former Jailer Ken Mobley has also announced on Facebook that he plans to run for office, but hasn’t formally filed paperwork to seek the position.

Interim Whitley County Sheriff Danny Moses isn’t expected to seek the office that Todd Shelley vacated when he retired on Nov. 30.

Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. is facing opposition from Williamsburg Police Officer Dorman Patrick Jr. in the Republican Primary race.

White, an attorney and former business owner, was first elected as judge-executive in 2006 and took office in 2007.

Patrick previously served one term as Third-District Constable, and he has worked as a sheriff’s deputy, firefighter, 911 dispatcher, and an emergency medical responder.

Incumbent First-District Magistrate Scotty Harrison, Second-District Magistrate Mondo Cima, and Third-District Magistrate Michael Jarboe have all filed to seek re-election and are currently unopposed.

Incumbent Fourth-District Magistrate Raleigh Meadors is seeking re-election and is facing opposition from Paul Buchanan and Eugene Smith.

Regina Huff, Rep. 82^nd, has announced that she plans to retire after completing her current term in office next year. Williamsburg attorney Nicolas “Nick” Wilson, who won $1 million on the television reality show “Survivor,” is the only candidate in the race thus far. Huff has endorsed him for the position.

Whitley County Clerk Carolyn Willis, Whitley County Attorney Bob Hammons, 34^th Judicial Circuit Division One Circuit Judge Dan Ballou,  Division Two Circuit Judge Paul K. Winchester, Division Two District Judge Fred White have all filed to seek re-election, and are unopposed so far.

Corbin lawyer Seth Reeves has filed to run for the 34^th Judicial District Division One Judge’s seat, which is currently held by incumbent Cathy Prewitt. Prewitt has indicated that she plans to seek re-election, but she hasn’t filed so far.

All six incumbent Williamsburg City Council members have filed to run for re-election, and so far are unopposed, including: Patricia “Patty” Faulkner, Loren Connell, Richard Foley, Mary Ann Stanfill, Erica Broome Harris and Laurel Jeffries West.

Fifth District U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers has filed to seek re-election and will have a Republican primary challenge from Gerardo Serrano, of Manchester, Rich Van Dam, of Somerset, and Brandon Russell Monhollen, of London.

The election filing deadline is Jan. 7, 2022.