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Written by Meghan Goth, LINK nky managing editor 

JR Roth was the lone candidate for constable in Campbell County’s District 2. Until now. 

BJ Champagne — who spent eight years at the Campbell County Detention Center after working 25 years at the Campbell County Police Department — will be challenging Roth. 

Champagne said he didn’t know much about Roth, other than that he was detained at the Campbell County Detention Center before then-Gov. Matt Bevin pardoned him.

“I don’t know him personally,” Champagne said. “I’ve heard his name mentioned and I know he was detained at the jail, but that’s all I know.”

Roth was convicted of two counts trafficking a controlled substance in 2017. Bevin pardoned Roth in late 2019. Because Roth was pardoned, he is no longer considered a felon, which is what allows him to run for office. 

Champagne said he did not retire in order to run for constable. 

“It just happened that way,” Champagne said. “The day of my retirement I was told about it.” 

Champagne, of Grant’s Lick, said he decided to run because he enjoyed his career in law enforcement and thought this would be a good opportunity to continue in a similar field. 

Roth filed to run Jan. 7, which was the filing deadline before it was pushed back to Jan. 25. 

Photo: Campbell County Detention Center (RCN file photo) 

As LINK nky's executive editor, Meghan Goth oversees editorial operations across all platforms. Before she started at LINK in 2022, she managed the investigative and enterprise teams at WCPO 9 in Cincinnati....