Johnnie Turner, a state senator from Kentucky, on the November 2024 ballot for re-election, tragically lost his life at the age of 76 on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. The incident was a result of a riding lawn mower accident at his residence in Baxter, Kentucky, where he fell into an empty swimming pool.
The accident occurred on September 15 when Turner’s lawn mower fell into the deep end of the pool. Following the accident, he was taken to a local hospital before being airlifted to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. He stayed there until his death, fighting a tough battle, as per the officials.
Turner, a Republican, represented District 29 in eastern Kentucky, including Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, and Letcher counties. He had been serving in the Kentucky Senate since 2021, after defeating a Democratic incumbent in the 2020 election. His political career also includes a stint in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002.
Prior to his political career, Turner served in the U.S. Army as a medic from 1967 to 1969 and later became a prominent attorney in the region. Additionally, Turner was an instructor for Carry Concealed Deadly Weapons training program with the Department of Criminal Justice Training.
Turner was known for his approachable demeanor and was a strong advocate for the coal industry in his district in Appalachia. He often voiced his opposition to government regulations he felt were impeding industry growth and worked on initiatives to bolster Kentucky’s economy through horse racing.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell recalled Turner’s dedication, describing his response to a regional flood, “On the scene, ankle-deep in mud, his equipment from home in tow, ready to help folks in Letcher County.”
Robert Stivers, Kentucky Senate President, lauded Turner’s character and resilience, stating, “His remarkable resolve and strength filled the Turner family – and all of us – with optimism, making this loss difficult to bear.”
Turner’s community involvement was not limited to his legislative work. He served as the chair of the RedBird Mission School Board and was part of the Task Force on Post Secondary Education. He also contributed to Harlan Revitalization and was a member of the National Rifle Association.
Turner’s untimely death has resulted in an unusual electoral scenario. Despite winning his party’s primary and being unopposed in the upcoming November election (his independent opponent had withdrawn earlier), his name appeared on the ballot as early voting started in Kentucky. As of October 27, only attorney James Tyler Ward II of Whitesburg had filed as a write-in candidate. The deadline for filing as a write-in candidate was 4 p.m. on October 25.
Scott Madon, Mayor of Pineville, Kentucky, won the race in a historic write-in campaign, securing 6,825 votes and 35.2% of the total ballots cast across the five-county district.
Madon emerged victorious from a field of 11 write-in candidates following the death of Senator Turner and the withdrawal of Independent candidate David Suhr. Willie Crase finished second with 2,892 votes (15%), followed by James Tyler Ward with 2,006 votes.
“I want to build on Turner’s previous work and focus on job creation and tourism/adventure tourism in the five-county district,” Madon said after his unofficial victory. Madon, who currently oversees an $8 million downtown revitalization project in Pineville, Kentucky, will not take office until January 2025. He plans to resign as mayor in the final days of 2024, leaving the Pineville City Council to select his successor.
