Special election to fill vacancy after lawmaker’s suicide

FRANKFORT, Ky. – A special election has been scheduled to fill a Kentucky legislative seat that was held by a lawmaker who killed himself following sexual assault allegations.

Gov. Matt Bevin on Thursday set a Feb. 20 special election to find a replacement for Republican Dan Johnson, whose body was found last week with what a coroner said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Johnson was in his first term representing a House district south of Louisville.

One Republican candidate and one Democratic candidate can be on the special election ballot. The nominees are chosen by their respective political parties.

Johnson’s wife, Rebecca, has said she wants to replace him in the Legislature. Dan Johnson died a day after denying a teenage girl’s claims that he sexually assaulted her in 2013.