By Jack Brammer
NKyTribune reporter
20th Senate District: Gex Williams and Teresa Azbill
In what is considered the most competitive race for the Kentucky Senate this fall, a former state senator and a former county judge-executive are battling each other in the newly drawn 20th District that stretches from Kenton County to Franklin County.
The contest to be decided Nov. 8 is between former state Sen. Gex “Jay” Williams, R-Verona, and former Democratic Franklin County Judge-Executive Teresa Azbill Barton of Frankfort.
The two are strongly going after each other and the race has been mired by a controversy over campaign signs.
Gex ‘Jay’ Williams
24th Senate District: Shelly Frommeyer and Rene Henrich
Two women are competing in this fall’s other state Senate race in Northern Kentucky.
Republican Shelley “Funke” Frommeyer, a Certified Financial planner of Alexandria, faces Democrat Rene Heinrich, an attorney and a member of the Highland Heights city council, in the 24th District. It is an open seat because Sen. Wil Schroder, R-Wilder, announced he wouldn’t run again.
The district includes the counties of Campbell, Pendleton, Bracken and part of Kenton.
Here’s a closer look at the two state Senate races this fall in Northern Kentucky.
20th Senate District
The state legislature this year made many changes in the boundaries of the Senate’s 20th District.
The district formerly consisted of Carroll, Henry, Shelby, Trimble and a part of Jefferson counties. Its senator, Republican Paul Hornback of Shelby County, is not running for re-election this year.
Teresa Azbill Barton
The legislature this year changed the district to run from Kenton and Boone counties in the north to Franklin County in the south. Other counties in it are Carroll, Owen, and Gallatin.
The state Board of Elections says that as of August, the district had 44,497 registered Democrats and 36,407 Republicans. There were 4,990 registered other. The southern part of the district runs Democrat while the northern part runs Republican.
Barton is counting on independents to put her over the top.
On his campaign website, www.gexforsenate.com, Williams calls himself “the experienced change-maker we need.” He has worked as a software developer, marketer, and IT consultant. He was elected to the Kentucky General Assembly three times between 1990 and 1998 from Northern Kentucky.
Williams claims he helped Republicans take control of the Senate, increased transparency in the legislature, and exposed politicians who said one thing and did another.
He lists as his Senate priorities pro-life legislation, gun rights, banning Critical Race Theory and inappropriate sexual content from schools, keeping biological boys out of girls’ sports, and opposing all COVID vaccine mandates.
He has been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Vanceburg, and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Bowling Green.
On her campaign website, bartonforkysenate.com, Barton calls herself an “independent-mined problem solver.”
She said she continues to demonstrate both the leadership and political skills necessary to work across party lines and get things done for the communities she represents.
Her endorsements include Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, former Democratic Govs. Steve Beshear and Paul Patton, and former Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher.
Raised in Frankfort, Barton has management experience in both the private and public sectors and at the county and state level. She was elected Franklin County Judge-Executive twice.
After that, former Gov. Fletcher recruited Barton to be his first executive director of the Office of Drug Control Policy. She then became deputy secretary of the state Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.
In 2008, Barton returned to the private sector. She now manages an energy services industry.
The Northern Kentucky Tribune asked Williams and Barton three issues questions – medical marijuana, the constitutional amendment on the ballot this November that would say abortion is not a state right and whether the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump.
Regarding medical marijuana, Williams said a family member wrestled with ALS and CBD helped relieve her pain. “I will make that happen,” he said.
Barton said she also supports medical marijuana.
The two candidates plan to vote differently on the abortion amendment.
Williams said he will vote yes. He claims a “no” vote will mean taxpayer-funded abortion. Supporters of the amendment disagree.
Barton said she will vote no on the amendment. She said she supports restrictions on abortion but thinks it should be allowed in cases of rape and incest with no government funding.
Regarding the 2022 presidential election, Williams said he “can not conclusively say” the election was stolen from Trump,” but there was a lot of fraud, especially in absentee ballots.”
Barton said that Biden won the presidential election fair and square.
The campaigns got diverted a bit in September over missing campaign yard signs.
The Williams campaign alleged that their foe lifted Williams’ yard signs in Frankfort. It said more than a dozen of Williams’ signs in Frankfort disappeared and that a person believed to be Barton was caught removing the signs. It produced photos of someone resembling Barton removing the signs.
Barton said she removed one sign that was attached to hers. She said she had permission to put her sign in the area and that her lawyer told her to remove the sign which was zip-tied to her sign.
She also said someone tried to break into her truck and that her car has been damaged.
Rene Heinrich
The two candidates are close in campaign funds. The last campaign finance reports showed Williams’ raising $57,717, spending $37,017, and reporting on hand $20,700. Barton reported $55,462 in receipts, $23,568 in disbursements and $31,893 on hand.
24th Senate District
On her campaign website, www.shelleyforkentucky.com, Frommeyer says she grew up as one of 12 children in a log cabin in rural Kentucky and learned the lessons of hard work and perseverance.
On the issues, Frommeyer said she is committed to the rights of the unborn and elderly will fight for ethics, fiscal responsibility and transparency, and will stand up for gun rights.
Heinrich’s campaign website is www.heinrichforsenate.com. She says she is “running because I don’t trust what I see coming out of Frankfort. I decided I had a duty to my children and the commonwealth to try and fix what is broken. We need new leaders with integrity that are willing to work collaboratively. It’s time to STOP focusing on what divides us and instead focus on solutions that bring us back together.”
As a state senator, Heinrich said she would protect families, bring tax dollars back to the region, and ensure that the district has passionate advocacy.
Shelley Frommeyer
She said voters in the district are concerned about the economy and inflation and she would make sure state taxes are low.
Voter registration in the district favors Frommeyer – 47,443 Republicans, 41,590 Democrats and 7,348 other.
On issues, Frommeyer supports the abortion constitutional amendment and medical marijuana. When asked about the 2020 presidential election, she said, “I’m so focused on my own election. I’m for free and fair elections. I do believe information was withheld in that election.”
Asked what information was withheld, she mentioned the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19.
Heinrich said she favors medical marijuana, will vote no on the abortion amendment, and does not believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump.
In the campaign finance report last month, Frommeyer reported $40,822 in receipts, $6,255 in expenses and $34,367 on hand.
Heinrich reported $40,595 in receipts, $13,289 in expenses and $27,301 on hand.
