Shelton gets narrow win in Republican judge-executive primary

STANFORD — Lincoln County Sheriff Curt Folger won easily Tuesday, taking almost 62 percent of the vote in a three-way battle for the Republican primary nod, setting him up against challenger Johnny Williams in November.
Folger, who is seeking his fourth term, was the only county-wide incumbent facing opposition in the primary.
In the only other county-wide race, Jerry Lee Shelton edged out Robert Todd in the Republican judge-executive primary, beating Todd by 59 votes. Shelton will take on incumbent Democrat Jim Adams in the fall.
Folger defeated Chase Marcum, an officer on the Stanford Police Department who began his law enforcement career as a deputy under Folger; and Richard Rhodus, a full-time truck driver. Folger received the most votes of anyone from Lincoln County with 1,082.
In the primary race for constable in District 1, incumbent Robert Adams won by 13 votes over Chris A. Hazlett.
The three-way Republican primary for magistrate in District 3 was won by Jeff Ruckel, who received 59 more votes than Kendall Johnson and 94 more votes than Jayme Phillips.
In the Democratic primary for magistrate in District 4, David Tyler McGuffey won by 106 votes over Tim Adams.
U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers was heavily favored by Lincoln County voters in the 5th Congressional District race, getting 85.71 percent of the vote in the Republican primary. Rogers won the overall primary with 69,698 votes (84.4 percent). His opponent, Gerardo Serrano, had 12,880 votes (15.6 percent).
On the Democratic side of the 5th Congressional District race, Kenneth S. Stepp received 57.56 percent of the Lincoln vote (632 votes), and took the overall primary with 58.62 percent (31,527 votes). Scott Sykes received 466 votes in Lincoln County and 22,255 overall.
In the Kentucky Supreme Court District 3 primary, Debra Lambert came out in front. She won Lincoln County’s three-way race against Dan Ballou and David Tapp by picking up 1,514 votes or 51.57 percent of the votes. Overall, she had 59,744 votes (49.87 percent). Ballou had 30,049 overall votes and Tapp had 29,998.
A total of 2,963 Lincoln County voters participated in the primary, including absentee voters.
Lincoln County’s unofficial vote totals are as follows:

Republican results

U.S. House District 5: Gerardo Serrano 240 (14.29 percent); Harold “Hal” Rogers 1,439 (85.71 percent).
Lincoln County Judge-Executive: Jerry Lee Shelton 804 (51.90 percent); Robert Todd 745 (48.10 percent).
Lincoln County Sheriff: Tyler Chase Marcum 593 (33.98 percent); Richard Rhodus 70 (4.01 percent); Curt Folger 1,082 (62.01 percent).
Constable District 1: Robert Adams 166 (52.04 percent); Chris A. Hazlett 153 (47.96 percent).
Magistrate District 3: Jeff Ruckel 236 (42.52 percent); Jayme R. Phillips 142 (25.59 percent); Kendall Johnson 177 (31.89).

Democratic results

U.S. House District 5: Scott Sykes 466 (42.44 percent); Kenneth S. Stepp 632 (57.56 percent).
Magistrate District 4: David Tyler McGuffey 207 (67.21 percent); Tim Adams 101 (32.79 percent).

Non-partisan

Justice for the Supreme Court District 3: Dan Ballou 249 (8.48 percent); Debra Hembree Lambert 1,514 (51.57 percent); David Tapp 1,173 (39.95).