The choice for Fayette County Sheriff is an easy one
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In these tumultuous times, it helps to have experienced hands on the wheel. Sheriff Kathy Witt has been doing her job a long time to Lexington’s benefit, and it’s an easy choice to endorse her for another term.
Challenger Chris Holliday declined to meet with the editorial board. We appreciate his stated intent of restoring faith in law enforcement, but feel that it does not overcome Witt’s many years of experience.
Her advocacy for domestic violence victims — including the creation of the Amanda Center to help domestic violence victims 24 hours a day — is particularly needed right now. That is one way she expanded the sheriff’s office beyond traditional roles of serving legal papers and guarding the courthouse. Her office and officers are a constant presence downtown, at events they organize, and at the many funerals for which they provide escorts. Her office also does an efficient job at collecting Fayette County property taxes.
Witt has also built strong relationships with other groups like the Lexington Police Department and nonprofits such as God’s Pantry, which has depended on the sheriff’s office for Thanksgiving food deliveries. Through her work on reducing gun violence, Witt developed a strong personal relationship with the late activist Anita Franklin, which led to annual rallies that her office now organizes.
“You can’t wait until you have a crisis,” Witt told the editorial board. “You have to build those relationships every day.”
We also applaud her plan to improve wellness for her employees, who face the usual stress of law enforcement, and more recruitment of Spanish speakers.
Witt, who has served since 1998, assured us that she does not see her job as one for life, which is good. There are too many examples of politicians who believe they should keep getting elected forever. But we can heartily endorse her for another term.
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MOREWhy do we endorse?
The Herald-Leader believes the tradition of candidate endorsements enhances interest and participation in the civic process, whether readers agree with the newspaper’s recommendations or not. The paper has unusual access to candidates and their backgrounds, and considers part of its responsibility to help citizens sort through campaign issues and rhetoric.
An endorsement represents the consensus of the editorial board. The decisions have no connection to the news coverage of political races and is wholly separate from journalists who cover those races.
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This story was originally published October 28, 2022 at 8:54 AM.