The deadline to file for office in the May 2026 Primary election was last Friday, January 9, and when all was said and done, some 47 local residents had filed for office in local races.
A total of 77 people filed to run in all races. However, not all names of those who filed will be on the May ballot. Unopposed political party candidates names will not appear until the November election.
Seven local candidates filed prior to the deadline since last report, including four for a magistrate seat and three for constable.
New candidates include Johnnie Shelley, who became the fourth candidate for Magistrate in District 4. Three additional candidates filed in District 6, including Scott York, Chris Goodman, and Gabrielle Quade Martin. This brings the total number of magisterial candidates in this district to six.
One candidate each filed for a Constable position, including Chris Conner in District 3, Gary York in District 5 and Brent Allred in District 6. There is one constable candidate each in districts one, two, three, and five, two candidates in district six, and no candidate for that job in district four.
(A listing of all candidates who have filed appears at the end of this article.)
Of the total candidates seeking a county office, some 23 are seeking a seat on the Clinton County Fiscal Court in one of the six magisterial districts.
Only one magistrate candidate, incumbent Tony Delk in District 1, is running unopposed in May.
A total of seven candidates each are running for judge/executive and 3rd District Magistrate, and five county-wide office holders are unopposed in the primary.
Unopposed candidates, all incumbents, include Coroner Lonnie Scott, County Attorney Michael Rains, Sheriff Ricky Marcum, PVA (Property Valuation Administrator) Pat Campbell, and County Clerk Nathan Collins.
As mentioned, Delk is an unopposed magistrate candidate and four persons are running unopposed for constable seats.
In other offices, an almost unprecedented 19 persons are running for U.S. Senate in Kentucky, following the announced upcoming retirement of former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican.
Seven Democrats and a dozen Republicans have filed with the Secretary of State’s office in Frankfort.
Some five persons are seeking the First District Congressional seat, including incumbent Republican James Comer of Tompkinsville, who filed last week.
Comer is being challenged in May by Penny Arcos, David Sims and Robert James Sutherby, while John “Drew” Williams is running unopposed in the Democrat Primary and will face the winner of the four candidates this fall.
Also, one additional candidate has filed for 40th Judicial District Judge–Division II, a non-partisan race, that being Athena Cooper Bradshaw.
Bradshaw becomes the third candidate for that seat. In Division I, incumbent Judge Scarlett Latham will run unopposed.
The ending of the primary filing also brings about some notable changes, especially in the make up of the Clinton County Fiscal Court.
The fiscal court will be almost brand new beginning in January 2027, with a new judge/executive and at least four new magistrates overseeing county business.
This was brought about by the retirement of Clinton County Judge/Executive Ricky Craig, who decided not to seek reelection. Judge Craig, now in his second term, continues to battle cancer and prior to being judge, severed various terms as a magistrate for the fourth district on the fiscal court.
Two seated magistrates  are currently seeking the county’s highest office as judge/executive, while two other long-term squires, Mickey Riddle and Gary Ferguson, are not seeking reelection this year.
Also it should be noted that 40th Judicial District Judge James “Mike” Lawson, of Albany, who is now in the final year of his fourth six-year term, has decided to retire and is not seeking another term.
Lawson, also a former multiple term Clinton County Attorney, serves as Division II judge for the 40th District comprised of Clinton, Russell and Wayne counties.
Finally, after 42 years, Kentucky will have a new U.S. Senator representing the state, with the retirement of Republican Mitch McConnell of Louisville, who was first elected back in 1984.
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The following is a listing of all local May Primary election candidates by office and party. * Designates incumbents and all are Republican unless otherwise noted.
— Clinton County Judge/Executive
Michael Rayborn
Kelli Abston
Terry Buster
Keith Dalton
Richard Armstrong
Mickey McFall
(Democrat) – George Keith Byrd
— Coroner
Lonnie Scott*
— County Attorney
Michael Rains*
— PVA (Property Valuation Administrator)
Pat Campbell*
–County Court Clerk
Nathan Collins*
— Sheriff
Ricky Marcum*
— Jailer
Kenny Myers
Bruce Stearns*
David Harris
— Magistrate District 1
Tony Delk*
— Magistrate District 2
Jason Pitman*
Cole Nelson
Justin Shelton
— Magistrate District 3
Rick Stearns
Neli Conner
Bobby Cross
Parker Means
Anthony Wright
Jackie Stearns
Lane Marcum
— Magistrate District 4
Jay Craig
Clint Ray
— Magistrate District 5
Tracy Thurman
Josh Patrick
Jeffrey Alan Groce
Johnnie Shelley
— Magistrate District 6
Gilbert Daniels
Bobby Jones
Chris Ipock
Scott York
Chris Goodman
Gabrielle Quade Martin
— Constable District 1
Chaston Bell
— Constable District 2
David “Sidewinder” Cross
— Constable District 3
Chris Conner
— Constable District 4
(None)
— Constable District 5
Gary York
— Constable District 6
Brent Allred
Brad Bell
— U.S. Senator
Joshua Blanton, Sr. (D)
Charles Booker (D)
Logan Forsythe (D)