Gov. Steve Beshear has appointed John Patrick Collins of Vanceburg as judge-executive in Lewis County. Beshear announced the appointment Thursday.

Collins replaces Thomas Massie, who resigned effective June 30 after winning the Republican nomination for the 4th Congressional District seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Hebron.

Collins, currently the deputy judge-executive, will serve until November, when voters will pick a new judge-executive, Beshear's office said in a news release. Collins will not run for the office, according to the news release.

Collins has been the county's economic development director for two years.