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At a Glance: Primary Election Winners' Future Salaries

Depending on what their day jobs are, the victorious candidates from Tuesday’s primary election - and November's general election - might be in for a bit of a raise in their newly-elected positions.

Kenny Wilson, for example, will succeed longtime Hickman County Judge-Executive Greg Pruitt and stands to make more than $64,000 a year in the post. That’s down from Pruitt’s $76,000 a year - there are different pay scales for public officials based on seniority.

After Tuesday’s primary, Republican Jason Jones and Democrat Jesse Perry emerged as the general election candidates for Graves County Judge-Executive. Retiring Judge-Executive Tony Smith makes almost $94,000 in the position, but Jones or Perry will only make $85,000 should they win in November.

Republican Danny Carroll or Democrat Jeff Parker will make the standard $68,700 as the 2nd District’s next state Senator. The winning candidate in November will also make $135.30 per diem while in session in Frankfort as they replace retiring state Sen. Bob Leeper.

Meanwhile, after Calloway County Sheriff Bill Marcum’s defeat Tuesday at the hands of fellow Democrat Sam Steger, the new sheriff – either Steger, Republican Greg Dunning or a possible independent candidate – stands to make almost $94,000 a year as the next sheriff. Kenneth Claud will make the same amount as Calloway's next jailer. Calloway County Judge-Executive Larry Elkins also brings home $93,863 a year from the county.

Democratic former state Sen. Joey Pendleton and Republican Carter Hendricks will face off in the general election to become Hopkinsville's next mayor. Whoever wins stands to make almost $92,000 a year in base salary plus fringe benefits.

Other winners of note:

  • Rita Dotson, the new Democratic mayor of Benton, will only make $10,000 a year in the part-time position.
  • Longtime Judges-Executive Chris Lasher of Livingston County and Vickie Viniard of Ballard County will both make around $75,000 a year, in their fourth and third terms respectively.
John Null is the host and creator of Left of the Dial. From 2013-2016, he also served as a reporter in the WKMS newsroom.
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