Candidate for Kenton County Commissioner District 1;
Party: Republican;
Status: Incumbent;
Beth Sewell is the Republican incumbent county commissioner candidate in district 1 on the Kenton County Fiscal Court. District 1 occupies the northeastern region of the county (note: Although commissioners’ seats are divided into districts, they are elected at-large, meaning everyone in the county can vote for them).
She will not face a primary challenger in May, but she will face off against Democrat challenger Sarah Froelich during the general election in November.
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Sewell, who lives in Covington’s Wallace Woods neighborhood, was first elected to the fiscal court in 2010. She’s not from the region, instead growing up on a large, family-owned farm in Indiana. She moved to Northern Kentucky when her husband relocated for work about 30 years ago. Sewell herself has a professional background in nonprofit management.
“I like to claim that I was born a conservative and have become more conservative over time,” Sewell told attendees to a candidate forum early this year.
Sewell touted several key accomplishments she’s taken part in during her time on the Fiscal Court. Specifically, she pointed to the establishment of Kenton County Emergency Dispatch, which was formed after its predecessors in Erlanger and Covington merged.
“I’ve been blessed to govern through a recession, a global pandemic, an opioid epidemic and even an EF4 tornado,” Sewell said. “I’m proud to say that despite these unforeseen challenges, Kenton County remains stable and secure.”
Additionally, she touted her support of the Kenton County Detention Center’s substance abuse program, which described as a “model”program that reduced recidivism. If reelected, she hoped to use opioid abatement funds to expand the county’s police navigator program, which places social workers in police departments to help get people connected to resources.
Lastly, she pointed to the county’s economic development initiatives through projects like the OneNKY Center and SparkHaus.
“I know whatever happens in the year ahead, I’m confident I have left Kenton County better,” Sewell said.