All David Ermold wanted in 2015 was to marry his long-time partner David Moore, but county clerk Kim Davis kept denying their marriage license paperwork in defiance of the Supreme Court. It led to a court battle, jail time for Davis, and a rough emotional ride for the pair who just wanted a simple ceremony in the park. Two years later, the happy couple are legally wed, but another piece of paperwork submitted by Ermold has crossed Kim Davis’s desk: the forms for his campaign for her county clerk seat.
Ermold is one of three contenders trying to unseat Davis, who is running for reelection after decades in office. He announced his campaign on Wednesday and didn’t try to downplay his motivation for running at all. According to a press release,
“We must recommit ourselves to embracing the diversity within our community, and we must stand strong against those who have turned their backs on our people to pursue the divisive agenda of outside politicians and organizations. My commitment to Rowan County is to restore professional leadership, fairness, and responsibility to the clerk’s office. I will build upon the successes of the past, and I will seek solutions for the challenges we may still face.”
Based on similar elections, however, this could be Ermold’s moment. Openly transgender candidate Danica Roem successfully beat the Virginia incumbent behind the controversial anti-trans bathroom bill. Chris Hurst, whose girlfriend was killed in a shooting, was also elected in Virginia after defeating NRA-supporter Joseph Yoest. They, too, could have been pigeonholed as single-issue progressives but instead prevailed. Perhaps Ermold will, too.
(Via: Chicago Tribune and NBC News)