Where in Lexington did Mayor Gorton perform well on Tuesday? Hint: Everywhere
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton received widespread support from voters across Fayette County in her Tuesday general election win against challenger David Kloiber, an analysis of precinct data showed.
Gorton won every precinct except one — in a rural area off of Old Frankfort Pike where she and Kloiber tied.
In that precinct, Enterprise, there were only 18 votes. Kloiber, a first-term Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilman, and Gorton each received 9 votes.
Moreover, Gorton won nearly all precincts by a wide margin, an analysis of precinct-level data showed In total, Gorton received 71 % of the vote.
There were only two precincts where support for Gorton dipped under 60%, but just barely.
She received 59% of the vote in the Bryan Station precinct on the city’s north side and received 59% in a precinct along Versailles Road.
Gorton performed best in areas that included her former council district. Gorton was on the council for 16 years prior to becoming mayor in 2018. Her council district included neighborhoods south of the University of Kentucky Arboretum.
More than 82% of voters in Shadeland and Shady Lane precincts, in the Lansdowne area, voted for the registered nurse. Those precincts in south Lexington have high voter turnout.
Gorton received 71% of the vote in the four-way May primary. Kloiber was second with 14%. On Tuesday, Kloiber made some gains and received 29% of the vote.
A May primary precinct analysis showed Gorton won all but one precinct — Enterprise— which went to Adrian Wallace, who came in third in the May primary and did not move on to the general election. Gorton also tied Wallace in a third precinct in May.
Gorton credited her 20 years at city hall behind her county-wide support during Tuesday’s general election.
“I think people trust me because they know me and they know what I represent — calm, thoughtful leadership that puts people and their needs first,” Gorton said. She said she learned “how to mayor the hard way— through experience as a council member, vice mayor and as a mayor.”
Gorton has also consistently beat better-funded opponents.
Kloiber had a campaign war chest that topped $640,000, according to Kentucky Registry of Election Finance reports. Much of that money he pumped into attack advertisements, criticizing Gorton’s record on crime.
Gorton, meanwhile, raised slightly more than $150,000, campaign finance reports show.
In 2018, she also handily defeated Ronnie Bastin, a former Lexington police chief, despite Bastin having more cash then Gorton. Bastin raised more than $300,000. Gorton raised around $150,000.
“As for campaigning, I have always run grassroots, volunteer-based campaigns with a focus on people, not fund-raising,” Gorton said.
