Unendorsed candidate responses

Real experience, integrity should prevail

Lucy Ferguson VanMeter has a personal history with this paper, the endorsement is not surprising. She is a former employee and former spouse of Joel Pett, a long-time editorial board member. Loyalty to an old friend is understandable.

The paper’s obligation should be supporting candidates who will best serve Fayette County.

I’m the only candidate with actual experience as a judge. I’ve presided over hundreds of felony cases that have included drugs, gun violence and murder.

Previously, I had 20 years as a trial attorney trying criminal and civil cases to a jury verdict. VanMeter has acknowledged that her focus has not been criminal law, she has primarily represented corporations and insurance companies.

Since being recommended by the non-partisan Judicial Nominating Committee, and subsequent appointment by the governor, my performance as a circuit judge has been commendable.

The paper ignored the glaring inherent conflict of interest created should its endorsee win. Any final appeal would result in recusal at the Kentucky Supreme Court level due to her marriage to a Supreme Court Justice. This would create inefficiency in our justice system.

Her marriage in 2017 to Justice Larry VanMeter gives her the benefit of name recognition, deep pockets to buy TV, radio, signs and marketing, but it does not buy experience.

As the incumbent judge, I’m committed to upholding the law, ruling with compassion and emphasizing the safety and well-being of our citizens.

Vote to keep your circuit court judge, John Reynolds, on Nov. 6.

Choose a visionary leader in 4th District

Meeting wonderful people walking door-to-door and having great conversations about our city’s future is informative and enjoyable. Voters have shared their neighborhood challenges with me, and I look forward to overcoming these longstanding 4th District obstacles to their quality of life.

Key district concerns include minimizing neighborhood cut-through traffic by improving flow on Nicholasville and Tates Creek roads and reducing non-emergency access to the Baptist Health side entrance.

Lexington needs innovative leadership. One opportunity is increasing workforce quality and reducing expensive public safety and public health expenses. All these can be addressed through city-funded preschool. Kids without early education lack key classroom skills, and lag behind others, lowering their long-term opportunities and tax-production capability.

Better coordination with the schools could resolve city problems such as the lack of CDL drivers. Upperclassmen who begin apprenticing with the city could eventually receive their license and a promising career. Technology is another key: 4G unleashed Uber and Airbnb. 5G networks promise capabilities like downloading a full-length movie in seconds; and making driverless cars a reality.

Lexington can become a 21st century technology hub, with public-school academies that effectively prepare students for exciting technology careers.

This won’t happen without visionary leaders powering Lexington’s future competitiveness. Lexington needs leaders who stand up for neighborhoods, respond effectively to citizen concerns, and have a can-do, results-oriented mindset. It's unsurprising 4th District voters are upgrading their representation by voting for Barry Saturday.

This story was originally published October 22, 2018 at 7:13 PM.