Peppy Martin
Personal details
Born
Josephine Ellen Martin

(1946-05-01) May 1, 1946
Political partyDemocratic (after 2006)
Other political
affiliations		Republican (before 2006)
EducationConnecticut College (BA)
Bryn Mawr College (MA)
Profession
  • Public relations professional

Peppy Martin (born Josephine Ellen Martin; May 1, 1946)[1] is an American public relations executive who is also a perennial candidate for office in the state of Kentucky. She was the unsuccessful Republican nominee in the 1999 gubernatorial election, and later ran in the 2003 Republican primary for Auditor of Public Accounts, and in the 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial election Democratic primary for governor.[2]

Early career

Martin began her political career as an intern for U.S. Senator Thruston Ballard Morton. In 1971, she worked in the office of Governor Louie B. Nunn. She then launched a career in public relations, eventually running her own firm in Hart County, Kentucky. As of 2023, she resides in Glenview, Kentucky.[1]

Martin legally changed her name to "Peppy" from her given name of Josephine Ellen when she unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Kentucky General Assembly in the 1970s.[3]

Campaigns

In 1999, Martin ran for governor against Paul E. Patton, the Democratic incumbent. Through a change in the Kentucky Constitution, Patton became the state's first governor eligible to seek a second consecutive term since James Garrard in 1799. Martin's running mate was Wanda Cornelius, a school board member from Taylor County. In the Republican primary, Martin defeated perennial candidate David Lynn Williams (not to be confused with then-State Senator David L. Williams). The Martin-Cornelius ticket lost to incumbent governor Patton and Lieutenant Governor Steve Henry in a landslide in the general election.

Martin announced her intent to run for president as a Reform Party candidate in 1996 and, later, as a Reform candidate for the United States Congress in 2000, though she never qualified to appear on the ballot in either race.[3] In 2003, Martin sought the Republican nomination for the office of Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts, ultimately losing in the primary.[4] Although she announced that she would be a Democratic candidate for Governor of Kentucky in 2007, Martin ultimately failed to appear on the ballot.[5] Martin unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Andy Beshear in the Democratic primary of the 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial election.[6][7]

Electoral history

Kentucky gubernatorial election, 1999[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Paul E. Patton 352,099 60.70% +9.81%
Republican Peppy Martin 128,788 22.20% -26.51%
Reform Gatewood Galbraith 88,930 15.33% +14.93%
Natural Law Nailah Jumoke-Yarbrough 6,934 1.20%
Write-ins 3,323 0.57%
Majority 223,311 38.50% +36.32%
Turnout 580,074
Democratic hold Swing
Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts Republican primary results, 2003[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Linda Greenwell 50,366 40.42
Republican Peppy Martin 32,421 26.02
Republican Basha Cannon Roberts 25,216 20.24
Republican Osi Onyekwuluje 16,596 13.32
Total votes 124,599 100
Kentucky Gubernatorial Democratic primary results, 2023[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Andy Beshear (incumbent) 176,589 91.3
Democratic Geoff Young 9,865 5.1
Democratic Peppy Martin 6,913 3.6
Total votes 193,367 100.0

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Brammer, Jack (April 14, 2023). "Here's a scorecard to keep up with the 12 Republicans, 3 Democrats running for Governor". Northern Kentucky Tribune. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  2. ↑ Meet the Governor Candidates: Peppy Martin. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Josephine E. "Peppy" Martin".
  4. 1 2 "Report of 'Official' Election Night Tally Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections. June 6, 2003. Archived from the original on November 11, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  5. ↑ "The Kentucky Democrat: 2007: Peppy Martin to run as Democrat". November 30, 2006.
  6. ↑ Barton, Ryland (December 2, 2022). "Beshear draws a primary challenger... former Republican Peppy Martin". WEKU. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  7. ↑ Schreiner, Bruce (May 16, 2023). "Trump-backed Daniel Cameron to face Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear in November". Associated Press. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Report of 'Official' Election Night Tally Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections. December 2, 1999. Archived from the original on April 13, 2011. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  9. ↑ "May 16, 2023 Official 2023 Primary Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky Secretary of State.
  • WATE 6 reporting on Peppy Martin buying the Tennessee governor's toilet as inspiration for her own candidacy for governor
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