Kentucky Republicans form long lines for presidential caucus

Although Kentucky Republicans flocked to the sites of their presidential caucus on Saturday, the process had both a few hiccups and a few detractors.

At Lexington’s Lafayette High School, parking was scarce in the late morning, with voters parking on adjoining streets and then hiking into a site with a long wait time and “Disney World-style” winding lines. Waits of up to 30 minutes were common in the morning, though crowds thinned in the afternoon.

Lafayette was one of four Fayette County caucus sites.

At Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, Steve and Peggy Sheiko arrived around 10:30 a.m. but decided to come back later.

“Traffic was so backed up we turned around and went home,” Sheiko said.

They returned in the early afternoon to much thinner crowds. Peggy Sheiko would not say who she voted for; her husband voted for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

Paul and Marsha Kowalski, who voted at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, said they were pleased with the caucus experience:

“It took longer to park than it did to vote,” Paul Kowalski said.

Bruce Klobeke of Nicholasville was unhappy with his unsuccessful attempt to get to his caucus site at West Jessamine High School. At 10:30 a.m., the parking lot was full, people were parking on the grass and traffic was backed up about a quarter-mile waiting to get in, he said.

“It was an absolute mob scene,” Klobeke said. “I just couldn’t get anywhere near it, and I said to heck with that.”

Republican voters in Shelby County turned out Saturday but did not have to contend with long voting lines — in part because the county used parking volunteers for its caucus at West Middle School.

“There has been little waiting in any line,” said Janet Cuthrell, the Shelby County Republican chairwoman.

Michael Stapleton, who voted for Cruz at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, said that he preferred the caucus over the state’s traditional May primary.

“It’s an opportunity to participate earlier, and I think that’s going to help us feel like we have more of a say,” Stapleton said.

In Pulaski County, Raymond Bell of Tateville said he was not happy about the caucus. In a normal primary, he votes near his home in the southern end of the county. On Saturday, he had to travel much farther — to Somerset Mall — to vote for Cruz.

Bell said the Republican Party set up the caucus to benefit Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who dropped out of the race before the caucus was held.

“I think it’s stupid,” Bell said. “For me, it’s an inconvenience.”

Amanda Denney, 33, who voted for Cruz at the Somerset caucus, also was not a fan of the process. She said the caucus process did not seem as private as a primary. Voters cast ballots at small tables in the corridors of the mall.

Cloyd Bumgardner, chairman of the Pulaski County Republican Party, estimated that 1,500 people were waiting to vote when the caucus started at 10 a.m., which caused some delay early on. Bumgardner said he would make some logistical changes if the party had another caucus, but added that overall the event “went very smoothly.”

Charlie Newland, who was with his wife Gwen at the Somerset caucus, said he was glad the Republicans had the caucus because it invigorated voters to take part. The couple voted for Trump.

Although voting did not begin until 10 a.m., the parking lot at Lexington’s Northeast Christian Church was close to full by 9:30.

In line was Diana Boykin, weighing a choice between Cruz and Rubio. In the end, she went with Cruz.

“I’m trying to make a smart decision,” Boykin said.

Also in Cruz’s corner was Jeannie Kruckas, who said Cruz was a candidate with integrity.

“We need to bring prayer back into it,” Kruckas said. “I think God has been left out. ... Anybody to get Donald Trump out of there. Donald Trump is like Satan himself. His speech, his behavior is just very inappropriate.”

A few feet ahead of Kruckas stood David Jeffers, who likes Trump’s brashness and was there to vote for him.

“I made a decision a long time ago,” Jeffers said. “Trump is loud-mouthed and braggadocious, but he tells it like it is.”

At Henry Clay High School, where voter traffic moved briskly, Neita Falkner was adorned with a red-white-and-blue scarf. She was fully behind Cruz “because he stands for what I’m interested in, and he’s done everything he said he would do.”

Lloyd Mullins stopped by the information table for Rubio at Henry Clay and discussed why he was voting for the Florida senator: “He’s levelheaded and knowledgeable about what’s going on. Trump is smart, but I don’t think he has good communication skills.”

This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Kentucky Republicans form long lines for presidential caucus."