By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 — Primary Election night wasn’t kind to a number of incumbent candidates on the Primary election ballot, including candidates running for seats in Congress, the state house, and local races.
JUDGE-EXECUTIVE. Earning 66 percent of the votes, incumbent judge-executive Tim Hutchins handily dispatched challenger Don Thrasher in the Republican primary for judge-executive.
Hutchins will go on to face the winner of the Democratic primary, J.T. Roby. Roby won a decisive victory in the Democratic primary, earning 64 percent of the votes, while his challengers, Bethlehem math teacher Ben Corder and Shameca Ashby received 15 and 21 percent of votes respectively.
NELSON COUNTY SHERIFF. In what snowballed into an unexpected landslide victory, A.J. Lewis won the Democratic Primary for sheriff by earning 64 percent of the votes cast. This race had generated significant debate and division on social media between various groups of each candidates’ supporters.
Lewis will face-off against Republican candidate Jarren Culver in November to decide who will actually be sworn-in as the next Nelson County Sheriff.
NELSON COUNTY PVA. Jay Williams, the incumbent property valuation administrator, lost his re-election bid to local businessman and surveyor Stephen Hibbs. Hibbs earned 54 percent of the votes against Williams, who is completing his first four-year term as PVA.
NELSON COUNTY CORONER. Career first-responder Kerry Monin defeated Danielle Chladek with 58 percent of the votes cast Tuesday. Chladek defeated longtime coroner Field Houghlin four years ago, and will complete her first four-year term in December. Monin previously served as a deputy coroner under Houghlin.
FISCAL COURT MAGISTRATES. In the Republican primary for magistrate in
Districts 2, 3 and 5, only incumbent District 3 magistrate M.T. Harned will return to Nelson Fiscal Court in January 2027.
Harned handily topped his challenger, David Call, by garnering 78 percent of votes cast in the GOP primary.
But incumbent District 2 magistrate Adam Wheatley did not fare as well in his race against the man he defeated four years ago to win the seat of District 2 magistrate. Former magistrate Gary Coulter won by earning 56 percent of the votes cast Tuesday.
The race for District 5 magistrate was between three candidates — Ted Shields, Debra Bohachevsky and Bobby Chesser. Shields, the current Northeast Nelson Fire Chief, took 61 percent of the vote in that three-way race.
While Republican Brandon Bryan was highly visible in his race for District 1 Magistrate, he had no primary opponent. He will face off against longtime Democrat Magistrate Keith Metcalfe in the November General election. Metcalfe also had no primary opponent.
14th DISTRICT STATE SENATOR. In the race to fill the state Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Jimmy Higdon’s retirement this December, a field of seven Republican candidates worked hard to differentiate themselves to the voters of District 14 ahead of the May primary.
At the end of the night, it was Springfield pharmacist Ben Mudd who topped the field with 30 percent of the votes cast.
Closely behind Mudd wasDallas Robinson, with 27 percent of the vote, followed by James Victery and the rest of the field. A total of 13,755 votes were cast among the counties in the 14th Senate District.
In November, Mudd will face off against the winner of the Democratic primary, Carrie Gribbins Truitt, who received 73 percent of the votes in her primary victory over Malcolm W. Jones.
DON’T MISS! Tune in at 11 a.m. this morning for a special post-election “Bradford & Brooks” radio show. Jim and Margie will be joined by Kenny Fogle to cuss and discuss the May primary election results.
Tune it to WBRT AM 1320, FM 97.1 or watch us on Facebook LIVE.
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