FRANKFORT — Democratic State Rep. Rocky Adkins has resigned his 99th District seat after accepting a position in the administration of Gov. Andy Beshear.
Adkins was first elected to the seat in 1987 and represented Lewis, Rowan and Elliott counties at the time of his resignation.
“Representative Adkins resigned on Tuesday, when the new governor took office,” Lewis County Republican Chairman and County Attorney Ben Harrison said Thursday. Adkins is now the senior advisor to Beshear and assumed office on Dec. 10. Earlier this year, Adkins lost to Beshear in the Kentucky Democratic gubernatorial primary.
“At this point we’re waiting on Governor Beshear to set a special election date,” Harrison said.
“Once that date is set then the state Republican Party chairman will call a meeting of the Lewis, Rowan and Elliot County Republican parties to meet to appoint a nominee for the special election. The Democratic Party will do the same, then our nominee will run against the Democratic party’s nominee at the special election,” said Harrison.
“But again that is Governor Beshear’s call,” he said.
Harrison said that it can be complicated. The rules are different because Lewis County is in a different U.S. Congressional district than Rowan and Elliot counties.
“It’s more of a state party call than it is district party call, so it’s a little bit unusual. It can get complicated, and at the same time, a candidates going to have to file before Jan. 10 for the full term for the regular election, the primary and the general election. So it’s unusual. You’re going to have candidates running for two elections at the same time to be held on different dates,” Harrison said.
He said officials anticipate the special election will be held in mid or late February or early March.
