Incumbent Boyd County Circuit Clerk Linda Kay Baker cruised to a Democratic primary victory Tuesday, trouncing challenger Kipp Barker with about 73 percent of the vote.
With all precincts in, unofficial vote totals show:
Baker — 2,112
Kipp Barker — 792
No Republican filed for the office so Baker is assured of a second six-year term in the November election.
Baker said she was surprised by the margin. “When it comes to politics you don’t take anything for granted,” she said.
“”I feel good that the people of Boyd County think I’ve done a good job and elected me again.”
She thinks under her clerkship her office has developed a reputation for respect and voters responded to that. “We are respectful to anyone who comes in, whether they are the defendant or the plaintiff.
“I always said, treat people the way I want to be treated.”
Voters recognized that she has done a good job in the face of lean budgets and cutbacks. A hiring freeze means she can’t add clerks although she is severely short on deputies based on her caseload, she said.
She is anticipating her employees will have to take another three furlough days this year.
To cope with that she has cross-trained all her workers.
Baker said the campaign was a civil one with no mudslinging. “Kipp Barker was always nice ... he was a gentleman,” she said.
MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2652.
