HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Christian County Fiscal Court Magistrate Russ Guffey secured the win for Mayor of Hopkinsville on Nov. 3 against two other candidates and plans to hit the ground running. In response to this win, current Mayor James R. Knight shared how he is preparing for the upcoming transition in leadership.
“Congrats to all the winners tonight and hats off to everyone that ran for an office. Your effort and desire to serve is commendable,” said Guffey in a public statement on election night. “I hope to speak with all the council-elect members tomorrow and begin our conversation and planning for an even better Hoptown.”
Guffey previously defeated Mayor Knight for the Republican nomination during the May primary by only 180 votes. For the general election, Guffey received 53.32% of the votes over Markeeta Wilkerson with 33.68% and Desaepa Vansauwa with 13%.
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Mayor Knight shares plan for final days in office
Knight has served as Mayor of Hopkinsville for one term, running for office in 2022. He will continue in his role until the end of 2026 when Guffey is sworn in.
As a transition of leadership approaches, Knight has shared the following statement with Christian County Now about how he intends to spend his final days in office, thoughts he has for Guffey, and a message to Hopkinsville residents.
“First, I want to congratulate Russ Guffey on his election as the next Mayor of Hopkinsville. I wish him and his administration nothing but success. When our city succeeds, we all succeed.
As I approach the final weeks of my term, my focus remains on serving the people of Hopkinsville. We still have important work to do, and I intend to continue working alongside our city employees and City Council to move priorities forward, maintain essential services, and ensure a smooth transition for the incoming administration.
My advice to Russ is simple. Listen to the people, surround yourself with good people, and never lose sight of why you’re here. Public service is about doing what’s best for the community, even when the decisions aren’t easy.
Finally, I want to thank the residents of Hopkinsville for giving me the opportunity to serve as your mayor. It has been an honor and a responsibility I have never taken lightly. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made together, and I’m grateful to our dedicated city employees who work every day to make Hopkinsville a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
My time as mayor may be coming to an end, but my love for Hopkinsville and my commitment to this community will not.”
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