Kim Davis twice denied David Ermold a marriage license based on his sexuality. Now he is refusing to let her run for re-election without a fight.
The Kentucky man says he plans to challenge Davis for her seat as the Rowan County Clerk.
Despite the fact that the Supreme Court had legalized same-sex marriage, Davis refused to issue Ermold and his now-husband Dave Moore a marriage license citing “God’s authority” and her Apostolic Christian beliefs in 2015, the Washington Post reports.
Davis was jailed briefly for defying a judge’s order and said she would refuse to let any of her employees issue wedding license to same-sex couples.
Eventually, one of her deputies, Brian Mason, began to issue the licenses anyway and the names of the County Clerk were taken off of the licenses per her request.
The story made national headlines and now Ermold, an English professor at the University of Pikeville and the leader of the local gay rights organization Morehead Pride, says he is running for her position to “restore the confidence of the people.”
“I think we need to deal with the circumstances and the consequences of what happened,” Ermold told the Associated Press. “I don’t think the other candidates are looking at a larger message. I have an obligation here, really, to do this and to set things right. 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.”
Davis’ attorney, Mat Staver, told the AP that Ermold would have “no idea how to run a clerk’s office.”
“The clerk’s position is more than a single-issue position, and that’s all David has is one issue,” Staver said. “Much of what the clerk does has nothing to do with wedding licenses. It’s a broad service to the public.”
Davis, who has been married to opposite-sex partners four times, plans to run for re-election. She has been County Clerk since 2014. Prior to that, she worked for her mother who was County Clerk.
Her son currently works for the County Clerk’s office as well.
“The county clerk’s office has been in the hands of the same family for almost 35 years,” Ermold said. “I think there’s the potential they want to keep it in the family. But everyone should have a fair shot. It should not be something that’s handed down from mother to daughter and from daughter to son.”
Ermold is one of four Democrats seeking the nomination to run against Davis, who changed her registration from Democrat to Republican in 2015.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Davis said “It’ll be a good one, I’m sure,” of the election. When asked if she believed she deserved to be re-elected, Davis said: “That will be up to the people. I think I do a good job.”
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