Kentucky primary: Five questions answered by NKY voters

Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer
Voting in the Kentucky Primary at Boone County Public Library was slow, according to poll workers, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. By mid-morning, the number of voters was in the mid-40’s.
Voting in the Kentucky Primary at Boone County Public Library was slow, according to poll workers, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. By mid-morning, the number of voters was in the mid-40’s.

Northern Kentucky had a lot of key races to keep an eye on during Tuesday night's primary as GOP incumbents were challenged in nearly every race.

In Boone County, 12.64% of voters cast a ballot. In Kenton County, 9.65% of voters showed up while Campbell County had a 10.39% turnout.

This is how they voted:

Did the man accused of strangling a teen win?

No! Republican Terry Hatton won with more than 80% of the vote. He'll take on Democrat Matt Lehman in the general election this fall.

Hatton was up against Republican Brian Ormes in the open state House seat in District 67, which includes the northwest part of Campbell County.

Ormes made headlines in April after he was charged with felony first-degree strangulation and misdemeanors for menacing and fourth-degree assault. The charges stem from an incident at a Walmart where he allegedly confronted a 17-year-old after a ball nearly hit his son.

More: Kentucky Republican candidate arrested on strangulation charge

What happened to the liberty incumbents?

The so-called liberty candidates, who are part of a more conservative branch of the Republican party, won big election night – all the incumbents will be back on the ballots.

A new crop of Northern Kentucky candidates took on mainstream Republicans during the 2022 GOP primary and ousted three of them. The liberty candidates often oppose COVID vaccines, support book bans, and are determined to oust what they call "RINOs," Republicans in name only.

Here are the results for those two races:

  • State Rep. Steve Doan, R-Erlanger, beat candidate Diane Brown with 77% of the vote in District 69, which includes parts of Kenton and Boone counties. Doan also ousted longtime Republican Adam Koenig in the 2022 primary with 54% of the vote.

  • Incumbent state Rep. Marianne Proctor, R-Union, beat Republican Christopher Pavese with 76% of the vote in District 60, a horizontal slice through the middle of Boone County. Proctor ousted mainstream Republican incumbent Sal Santoro, who served for more than a decade, in the 2022 primary.

Who had the closest race?

Republican incumbent Kim Moser eked out a victory over GOP challenger Karen Campbell, a liberty candidate. Unofficial results showed Moser won with 51% of the vote, just a 71-vote margin Tuesday night.

That isn't enough to mandate an automatic recount in the state, which requires one if final results are closer than 0.5%. However, Campbell can request a recount.

Neither candidate made public statements about the race online Tuesday night.

Who won the ugliest race in NKY

Republican T.J. Roberts crushed opponent Ed Massey in the Kentucky primary election. He'll represent state House District 66, which includes northern Boone County, in the next legislative session.
Republican T.J. Roberts crushed opponent Ed Massey in the Kentucky primary election. He'll represent state House District 66, which includes northern Boone County, in the next legislative session.

Republican T.J. Roberts, of Burlington, crushed former state House Rep. Ed Massey in the primary Tuesday night with 77% of the vote. Roberts will be the GOP state House District 66 candidate, which includes northern Boone County.

"It is a remarkable thing what can happen when people come together and actually fight to put their districts first," Roberts said Tuesday night, thanking U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie and others for supporting his first-time race for office.

He's going up against Democrat Peggy Houston-Nienaber in November.

More: GOP candidate T.J. Roberts defeats Ed Massey after nasty primary race in NKY

Who won the empty state Senate seats?

Poll workers, Darla Hunter, left, and Pat Kubicek, hand out ballots during the Kentucky primary election at the main branch of the Boone County Public Library.
Poll workers, Darla Hunter, left, and Pat Kubicek, hand out ballots during the Kentucky primary election at the main branch of the Boone County Public Library.

State Rep. Steve Rawlings is now set to be a state Senator. Rawlings, a more conservative liberty candidate, ousted two-time incumbent Ed Massey in the 2022 primary.

He beat Duane Froelicher – a former Florence city councilman – with 77% of the vote Tuesday night.

No Democrat is running in the race in November.

District 11:Trump, immigration: Where these Boone Co. state senate candidates stand

First-time political candidate Matt Nunn, of Sadieville, beat Julia Jaddock, of Georgetown, with 64% of the vote in District 17, which includes the southern part of Kenton County, Grant and Scott counties, and the northwest corner of Fayette County.

He’ll face Democrat Kiana Fields in the general election.

District 17: Immigration, Jan. 6: What these state Senate candidates have to say

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What happened in Kentucky primaries?

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