Voters elect Huff, Willis by sizeable margins
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 “TJ” Hamblin, by a vote of 5,154 to 2,015.
“I feel so very blessed,” Willis said. “I’m humbly blessed.”
“I feel like I campaigned for 25 years on the front line, trying to meet everyone’s needs,” said Willis who served as a deputy clerk for many years prior to her appointment as interim clerk. “They showed their gratitude.”
Hamblin said he appreciated the support he received.
“I want to tell my supporters how appreciative I am. It is truly humbling to have that many people supporting you out in the community,” Hamblin said.
“One 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,” he added.
As to his political future, Hamblin said that is unknown, but he did not rule out running for office again..
“I don’t know right now if I will try to tackle this again in two years,” Hamblin said. “I am keeping all of my campaign materials, and I’m 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’t know where the Lord will end up leading us, though. I will just have to make that decision when the time comes.”
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’s 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’s numbers were up from 2018 when she faced Anderson in the Republican Primary, winning 4,961 to Anderson’s 3,841.
Huff said she is once again humbled by the amount of support she received from the voters in the 82nd District.
“I want to express my sincerest gratitude to the good folks of Whitley and Southern Laurel County for their support!” Huff said. “It 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.”
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,” 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’m real, real, real pleased,” 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,” Willis said, adding that she would like to see the General Assembly make the necessary changes to have that an option in future elections.