Scott County businessman challenges former magistrate in state House race

Both men are in their early 60s, lifelong Scott County residents, successful in their careers and well-known in their communities.

Their politics differ, however. They are running against each other in the March 8 special election to fill a vacancy in the 62nd House District that covers Owen and parts of Scott and Fayette counties. The seat was formerly held by Republican Ryan Quarles of Georgetown, who was elected last November as state agriculture commissioner.

Republican Phillip Pratt, who founded and built Pratt’s Lawn and Landscape, will face Democrat Chuck Tackett, a farmer and former county magistrate, in the crucial election that will help determine the balance of power in the Kentucky House.

Democrats now control the House by the slim margin of 50-46. There will be four special House elections March 8, including the one in the 62nd District, to fill vacancies. Democrats have to win at least one to keep a majority.

Both Pratt and Tackett are optimistic about their chances of serving in the state House.

Recent campaign finance reports show that Pratt holds a lead in raising campaign funds.

As of Feb.5, Pratt’s campaign receipts totaled $64,137, compared to Tackett’s $36,132.

Tackett got $10,000 from the House Democratic Caucus Campaign Committee and $8,000 from political action committees while Pratt took in $10,300 from out-of-state groups. Pratt also gave his campaign $10,000 on Jan. 15.

Tackett, who unsuccessfully tried to unseat Quarles in the district in 2014, has the advantage in voter registration.

According to the state Board of Elections, the 62nd House District has 18,189 registered Democrats and 13,226 Republicans.

On the campaign trail, Pratt said he wants to build on Quarles’ legacy as a leader and bring his “real-world experience as a small business owner to Frankfort.”

Pratt said he understands how much government “over-regulates” small businesses.

In the legislature, Pratt said he will work for a law that lets people work at unionized businesses without paying dues and supports Republican Gov. Matt Bevin’s stances on health care and public pension problems. Bevin has proposed dismantling Kynect, the state’s health insurance exchange, scaling back the expansion of Medicaid eligibility implemented by former Gov. Steve Beshear, and eventually offering 401(k)-style pension programs to government workers.

Bevin recently attended a fund-raiser for Pratt in Scott County.

Tackett said he is running because “state government is paralyzed by partisan politics, controlled by career politicians from both parties who are more consumed with scoring political points than solving the serious challenges that face Kentucky families and taxpayers.”

He said he “will shake up the status quo in Frankfort and work across party lines to address the challenges we face and put Kentucky families first.”

Tackett calls himself “a different kind of Democrat.” He said that means he believes in limited government that provides basic services and protects individual liberties.

For example, he said, he would oppose borrowing money from Wall Street to invest in the state’s financially strapped pension system. Instead, he wants to curb other government spending and use the savings for the retirement systems.

One area of government spending that would be off-limits to cuts, Tackett said, would be education. He said he fears that cuts in higher education this year will only mean higher tuition for students.

Tackett said he should be judged by his work as a longtime county magistrate.

“We maintained an $18 million rainy day fund,” he said. “I feel like when the governor is talking about someone who keeps tight reins on government spending, he’s talking about me.”

This story was originally published February 27, 2016 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Scott County businessman challenges former magistrate in state House race."