Election Wrap: Watts, 3 incumbents to return to Nelson Fiscal Court
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010, 10 p.m. – In one of the toughest elections he’s faced since winning the seat in 1993, incumbent Dean Watts won his three-way race to keep his seat as the Nelson County’s judge executive.
Watts took an early lead when the absentee ballots were counted, and subsequent precinct returns helped him keep the lead. Republican Pete Trzop and independent Tim Hutchins were close behind in early returns, but Watts’ big wins in several Bardstown precincts built his lead.
Of the county’s 27 precincts, Watts won 20 precincts to Hutchins’ six. Trzop won a single precinct.
The three-way race split the vote, diluting Watts’ opposition. Watts did not receive a majority of the votes cast in the race; he received just over 41 percent of the vote, compared to Hutchins (31.76 percent) and Trzop (27.24 percent)
Today’s election puts an end to what was a historic and memorable election for the county’s top elective office – it was the first time in Watts’ four terms as judge that he faced a November opponent.
MAGISTRATE RACES. Watts will lead a Nelson Fiscal Court that will feature two new magistrates, one of which will be the first Republican to serve on the court. Two of the magistrate races were nip and tuck as precinct totals were tallied.
FOURTH DISTRICT. Bardstown businessman Jeff Lear won the 4th District magistrate’s race in an extremely tight three-way contest against Democrat David Shields and independent J.T. Fulkerson. Lear will also be the first Republican to hold a county office in recent history.
Shields took an early lead after the absentee ballots were counted and the first precinct reported. After four of the five precincts in the district were counted, only 10 votes separated Lear and Shields. The final precinct gave Lear the unofficial win by 25 votes, or 37.49 percent of the vote, compared to 36.78 for Shields and 25.74 percent for Fulkerson.
Once the election results are certified, Gov. Steve Beshear will likely appoint Lear to fill the remaining term of former magistrate Tim Hutchins, who resigned early last month.
FIFTH DISTRICT. In another very close race, 5th District magistrate Jerry Hahn scored a come-from-behind re-election win over Republican Glenn Stone.
Stone won by big margins in two of the district’s five precincts. Stone’s lead dwindled when the final precincts reported, giving Hahn the win by a slim margin of 55 votes. Hahn was first elected as magistrate in 2006.
FIRST DISTRICT. In the county’s 1st District, Keith Metcalfe won over Stephen Howard, 61.33 percent to 38.67 percent. Metcalfe won in the eight-way Democratic primary in May, defeating incumbent Maynard Wimsett.
SECOND DISTRICT. Second District magistrate Sam Hutchins faced no opposition, and will serve another four years as magistrate.
THIRD DISTRICT. In the county’s 3rd District, incumbent Democrat Bernard Ice won big over his independent challanger Madge Brumley, 69.56 percent of the vote to Brumley’s 30.44 percent.
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