2 more file for 4th Congressional District race as filing deadline passes

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT – Friday’s filing deadline for congressional candidates in Kentucky brought out two more candidates for the already crowded field running for the open seat in the 4th Congressional District that runs from Boyd County to Oldham County.

The cavalry charge of candidates in the 4th and the potential rematch of Democrat Ben Chandler and Republican Andy Barr in Central Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District set up the two most hotly contested races for U.S. Congress this year in Kentucky.

The candidates will be running in districts with newly drawn boundaries. The state legislature approved a bill Feb. 10 with the new boundaries after weeks of negotiations and Gov. Steve Beshear immediately signed it into law.

The new map primarily gives an advantage to incumbents, but Republican incumbent Geoff Davis in the 4th District has decided not to seek re-election.

Seven Republicans and two Democrats have filed for the open seat.

Filing Friday were Republicans Marc Carey, an attorney from Sparta, and Crestwood businessman Walter C. Schumm.

The other GOP candidates for the 4th District are Lewis County Judge-Executive Thomas Massie of Garrison, Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore of Florence, Oldham County math teacher Brian D. Oerther of LaGrange, state Rep. Alecia Webb-Edgington of Ft. Wright and consultant Tom Wurtz of Ft. Mitchell.

Democrats in the race are Grant County Democratic Party Chair William R. “Bill” Adkins of Williamstown and Greg Frank of Corinth.

In the 6th, Chandler, of Versailles, is the only Democrat in the race. Three Republicans have filed –Barr, Patrick J. Kelly II of Lexington and Curtis Kenimer of Paris.

Barr, a Lexington attorney, narrowly lost to Chandler in the 2010 race. Randolph S. Vance of Lexington has filed as a write-in candidate for the 6th District race.

In the 5th District, Republican incumbent Hal Rogers of Somerset is being opposed by Democrats Michael Ackerman of Morehead and Kenneth S. Stepp of Manchester.

Here’s a look at candidates in the other districts:

1st District – Republican incumbent Ed Whitfield of Hopkinsville and Democrats James Buckmaster of Henderson and Charles Kendall Hatchett of Henderson.

2nd District – Republican incumbent Brett Guthrie of Bowling Green and Democrat David Lynn Williams of Glasgow.

3rd District – Democratic incumbent John Yarmuth of Harrods Creek, Democrat Burrel Charles Farnsley of Louisville and Republican Brooks Wicker of Louisville.

Filed Under: Elections