Three candidates are facing off in this month’s Republican primary to be the next leader of Crittenden County. With no Democrats or third-party candidates having filed for the seat, this election will most likely determine who will serve as Crittenden County’s judge-executive over the next four years starting in January.
Incumbent Perry Newcom has been in the office since 2011, and is seeking his fifth term. He is facing two Republican challengers in the May 19 primary: Nathan Ratley, owner of Marion Recycling Center, and Todd Campbell, a local property manager with experience in the construction industry.
Responses appear in the order that the judge-executive candidates’ names will appear on the ballot. Crittenden County voters can see what other races will be on their May 19 primary ballots here.
Perry Newcom
Editor’s note: These answers have been submitted by Perry Newcom by email, and have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What should voters know about you and why are you running for office?
A: I am an Air Force veteran who has dedicated my entire career [and] life to serving others. As the judge-executive of Crittenden County, I have focused on providing stable and fiscally responsible growth while ensuring we have made great improvements to our facilities, infrastructure and recreational sites. During the past three years, I led our team through securing numerous grants providing an influx of over $20 million dollars for various local and regional improvement projects. My desire is to continue to lead our county and work on behalf of the citizens of Crittenden County and our entire region through the partnerships and relationships I have built over the past several years. I look forward to the continued support of our county during the May 19th primary to ensure I can continue my work on their behalf.
Q: What would your priorities be, if elected?
A: When asked about priorities if elected, I would need to list several areas on which I would continue to focus. First and foremost, would be the completion of our new judicial facility, which is currently under construction and expected to be completed in the spring of 2027. Another top priority would be the continued work toward the expansion of our regional water district construction project. The Crittenden-Livingston Water District services over 700 miles of water line to customers throughout the two-county area and beyond. We are currently undergoing the construction of a water plant which will double the current capacity for making water. This project will ensure our regional water system can assure water quality and security for generations to come and allow for necessary growth of our residential and commercial service area. Other priorities will be to continue to secure funds necessary for the replacement of failing bridges throughout our county, regaining the financial stability of our detention center, and working to stabilize our emergency services and response agencies which ensure citizens are receiving adequate care and protection as needed. I will also continue to work to complete the relocation and construction of US Highway 641 between Marion and Eddyville which will provide a much safer and direct route to and from Marion for the purposes of supporting our citizens and industries travel needs.
Q: What do you see as the signature issue in your county over the next four years?
A: I would say the signature issue for our county is stabilizing the current financial drain due to the operation of the county’s detention center. If we do not resolve this issue other county projects and efforts will remain in jeopardy.
Q: How would you work to improve the quality of life for county residents?
A: A team of others and I have already been working on many projects which will result in quality-of-life improvements. Our work on the park systems and recreational offerings have made a significant improvement to quality of life in Crittenden County already. Working to resolve the water security concerns for our community will result in a huge improvement to quality of life. Over the past four to eight years our community has realized a huge increase in median income which is improving the quality of life for many citizens in our community. We have worked to bring in wonderful affordable housing complexes which is greatly improving the quality of life for many of our residents. I look forward to doing more of the same should I be blessed again to continue to lead our community as judge-executive.
Q: What have you accomplished during your time in office and why should people vote you back in?
A: I believe I have probably already answered this question within the answers to the other questions. The one last thing I would like to say is the fact I am very grateful for the trust and confidence the citizens of Crittenden County have placed in me, and if elected to serve our community again I will continue to work to ensure the ferry continues to provide service to our region. I will continue to work to ensure Crittenden County is known near and far due to my work with regional, state, and national boards and committees. I will continue to work with utilities and other partnering agencies to expand coverage for a fast, reliable and affordable internet option for all our citizens. We have made great strides in many areas and there is still much to be accomplished. I look forward to leading the charge with the continued support of our electorate as of May 19, 2026.
Nathan Ratley
Editor’s note: These answers have been submitted by Nathan Ratley by email, and have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What should voters know about me and why are you running for office?
A: Well, I have a strong educational background with relative work experience which makes me a strong candidate. I received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance and business management from the University of Kentucky. I also received a Master of Business Administration degree from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale. Upon graduating, I took a job as an accountant/auditor at York, Neel and Company in Hopkinsville. While working there for just over four years, I also picked up an accounting degree. Currently, I manage my own business and feel that I understand the needs and frustrations of my community. I believe our county governance needs to improve its management of funds and to have a better forward looking view of arising problems.
Q: What would your priorities be, if elected?
A: So right off the bat, we need better transparency. Currently, fiscal court meetings are not broadcast on any platform. The minutes from these meetings are only available upon request at the courthouse. In our county, the jail is a major issue which needs attention. I have some really good ideas to help with the jail, but it starts with a better relationship between the jailer and the fiscal court & judge-executives office. Water has also been a major issue within the county – possibly more with the City of Marion – but this is a county issue as well. County road conditions are another major issue here. While I realize there are financial constraints, I believe improvement could be made with drainage maintenance and cold patch inventory for pothole repair. I believe the county is missing an opportunity to properly collect payroll tax from outside, subcontractors doing work here. There are several more issues to address, but these would be a starting point.
Q: What do you see as the signature issue in your county over the next four years?
A: We need more economic growth. I think that is true for the majority of small communities. From the local government standpoint, that means making our county attractive to business development. It starts with the basics. We've got to get our water and road situation under control. I also believe that our waste management plan could be something to work on. I believe by changing some of the ways the county manages its waste, it could lead to lower costs to the residents and more revenue being retained locally.
Q: How would you work to improve the quality of life for county residents?
A: One thing that jumps out to me is “free dump weekend.” This was done away with for 2025 and 2026. It may not seem like a big deal on its face, however when you consider that many people are on fixed income or don't have other ways to dispose of unwanted items, it really matters. Again, going back to the water and road issue. These are basic needs that must be better handled.
Q: What needs to change in your local government, and why should people vote you into office to do that?
A: Well, the answer is a lot. A lot needs to change. This local government has taken a reactive approach to many of the problems it faces when better planning may have lessened the impact. I'm not running for this position to improve my annual salary, I'm doing this because we are in a financial crisis and I believe in the mission of bringing us out of it. I'm the best choice to improve our county.
Todd Campbell
Editor’s note: These answers have been transcribed from an interview with Todd Campbell, and have been edited for length and clarity. You can also listen to WKMS’ interview with Campbell below.
Q: What should voters know about you and why are you running for office?
A: I'd have to say that it's because I'm a proud resident of Crittenden County. I'm a small business owner here in the county, managing rental properties and I have an Airbnb with my wife. I have degrees in business and quality control management and I have 30-plus years of experience in the construction industry.
Running the county requires demanding accountability, strict financial oversight and practical hands-on leadership. I'm running for the judge-executive position to tackle the pressing local issues head-on, such as the financial drain at the jail and our E-911 system.
My mission is simple: I want to serve this community by bringing common sense solutions, real results and no excuses to the office.
Q: What would your priorities be, if elected?
A: If elected, my absolute top priority will be bringing full transparency and fiscal responsibility back to our county government. We need to address the financial crisis at the detention center…It's completely unacceptable that the county has been taking money from the general fund and the road fund just to make payroll and to cover daily expenses at the jail. My priority is to stop the financial shell game and stabilize our E -911 emergency dispatch funding and ensure our tax dollars are spent exactly where they're supposed to be spent.
Q: What do you see as the signature issue in your county over the next four years?
A: The signature issue, I would have to say, would be getting our budget under control and to stop the financial bleeding over the next four years. We can't continue to drain our road funds to prop up the jail. That means that the infrastructure just suffers and the taxpayers are shortchanged. We need a leader [who] understands how to manage operations effectively so we can maintain these essential services like the roads and E-911, without continuing these unsustainable financial practices.
Q: How would you work to improve the quality of life for county residents?
A: The quality of life starts with knowing… where your tax dollars are actually working for you, which means having safe, well-maintained roads and reliable public safety. I would improve the community by ensuring that our local government is fully accountable and highly responsible, by keeping our road funds dedicated strictly to our roads, stabilizing our 911 dispatch and applying just a common sense oversight to the jail’s operation. We can make Crittenden a better place and more secure place to live.
Q: What needs to change in your local government, and why should people vote you into office to do that?
A: The commitment to full transparency. That would be the biggest change would be that rigid commitment. We need to stop taking from the general fund [and] roads [fund] to cover the jail payroll, address our financial shortcomings head on, and stop making excuses when the budget isn't balanced.
People should vote for me because of my degrees in business and quality control management. That being combined with my 30-plus years in the construction industry, that means I know how to support our hard working county road department, and I know exactly how to hold outside contractors accountable. I know what the work should cost and how it should be done, and I wouldn't accept subpar work on the taxpayers dime. So if you want a judge-executive who will offer common sense solutions and real results and no excuses, I would ask for everyone's vote on May 19. Because together, we can make this county better and put it back on track. And when we find that success, it will be a victory for all of us to share here in Crittenden County.
