The 24-year incumbent Judge/Executive Gary Moore is being challenged by political newcomer Timothy Johnson, a man largely unknown to the Boone County Republican Party.
No Democrat has filed for the judge/executive position, meaning the winner among the two Republican candidates will face no opposition in the Nov. 8 General Election.
Johnson said he is “an aircraft mechanic by trade, not a politician.” He declined an interview with LINK nky, but explained in an email why he is running against Moore.
Johnson referred back to the 2019 Kentucky Primary, in which Moore faced challenger Chris Reinersman. During that race, Reinersman, another new face in politics, was criticized for filing bankruptcy while vying for the head county seat – a position that gives authority over county finances. Meanwhile, the challenger said Moore has been in office so long that the chances of a newcomer winning the seat are slim to none due to his connections in the community.
“The well-connected make gains while the rest of us are left in the dark,” Reinersman told media at the time, and Moore’s new primary opponent agrees.
“I later learned Mr. Reinersman was right about his comment,” Johnson said.
However, Johnson’s interest in the judge/executive role is spurred by a land dispute.
In 2019, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet requested a temporary easement for property owned by Johnson in order to make way for the double diamond crossover project at Richwood Road and Dixie Highway in Walton. Court documents show the state offered $18,000 while other nearby properties allegedly received offers of more than $200,000. A jury trial is scheduled for May 2 at 9 a.m. in Boone County Circuit Civil Court.
“I know that the judge/executive’s office will give me access to the information I need to figure out what’s going on and what needs to be done to correct it,” Johnson told LINK. “My experience involving Eminent Domain has exposed me to one of the most vile, hostile, and corrupt things I have ever encountered. The system has been gamed. Some are absurdly compensated while others, such as myself, are being used to feed the legal system. I don’t want anyone to experience what I’ve been put through. I believe the public needs to know. That’s why I’m on the ballot.”
As for Moore, he said he is running for another term to continue the work he has done for the last two decades.
“I still love coming to work every day and working for the people of Boone County,” he said. “I love what I do, and I see it as public service. My children, my grandchildren, are all here in Boone County. And I feel like we’re building a better community, and there’s more to do. That’s why I’m seeking another term.”
Moore said the county’s broadband expansion project and the sewer expansion to rural areas of Boone are two major projects he wants to see through with another four-year term. He is also promising to continue to keep the county tax rate low and raise county employee pay amid record inflation.
“We are well prepared for Joe Biden’s inflation and we see that we will be able to continue to deliver services at a very high level without raising taxes. I’ve already had our team look at it and we’re very comfortable saying that,” Moore said.
The voters will have to decide the next elected leader of Boone County on Tuesday, May 17.