BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County voters chose “Doc” Lon Lafferty as Judge/Executive by a landslide in Tuesday’s historic, unprecedented write-in election.
Lafferty, who declared his candidacy only three weeks ago, garnered 1,311 write-in votes to sweep challengers Marlena Slone (593) and Jimmy Don Kerr (162).
“This has been an incredible three weeks,” Lafferty said Tuesday night following the victory. “It’s a great feeling to have the support of the people of the county.”
Lafferty gave thanks to the Lord and his family. He also thanked his opponents for setting the bar high for future political campaigns in the county before turning his attention to the job.
“I intend to be a county judge to all people. We’re one county; we’re one people. At this point we need to unite,” said Lafferty. “The problems facing us are enormous.”
The judge called Martin County people “the toughest in the entire world.”
“The people here have gone under these mountains to dig coal for hundreds of years. We have supported this nation in our resources, in our treasure and in our blood. We have sent forth much more than we have received back. Those who live here at times may feel forgotten from a national standpoint, but those who live here never forget.”
Lafferty plans to focus on infrastructure immediately.
“Right at the top of the list has to be water,” he said. “I can’t fix this water in a few days or a few months, but I can tell you that we’re going to work immediately on this issue. … Once and for all, we’re going to fix the water so we can move forward.”
Other Martin County winners were proclaimed in the only two contested local races.
Republican Bill Preece was elected jailer over Democrat Jason Jude by a 2,380-191 vote.
Ed Daniel was reelected as Inez Mayor with 92 votes over Dennis Hall’s 68.
The Associated Press called the U.S. Senate race early Tuesday at 7:44 p.m., declaring Republican Rand Paul the winner over Democrat challenger Charles Booker. Paul carried Martin County with 2,241 votes to Booker’s 358.
Congressman Hal Rogers easily won Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District. The AP also called that contest early. Rogers won Martin County with 2,401 votes to Halbleib’s 194.
John Kevin Holbrook was elected Circuit Judge in the 24th Circuit Division 2 with 5,811 to David Matt Runyon’s 4,283 in Martin, Johnson and Lawrence counties. However, Runyon carried Martin County with 1,131 votes over Holbrook’s 1,067.
See all vote totals in this week’s Mountain Citizen.