I am endorsing Toshie Murrell for Mayor of Radcliff

By T.W. Shortt, former Radcliff City Council member (2015–2016), co-founder of the Radcliff Small Business Alliance, and past president of the Heart of Kentucky Association of REALTORS® 

Toshie Murrell has earned support for the office of Radcliff mayor. She has the character, commitment, and willingness to listen to what our community needs. 

I have known Toshie for approximately four decades. My confidence comes from that history and my experience as a business owner and former council member. Accessibility matters. Follow-through matters. Listening and remaining engaged matter. 

Radcliff needs leadership that recognizes how strong businesses strengthen our community through jobs, services, and investment. Their concerns deserve serious attention. 

We also need practical solutions that balance humane animal treatment with public safety. Fiscal responsibility must remain a priority. Every public dollar carries a public obligation. 

I oppose using public offices to grant favors at local taxpayers’ expense. Past practices that I believe crossed that line must not be repeated. I expect Toshie to honor her oath of office, reject favoritism, and never use public resources to reward personal or political connections. Public offices are a public trust. 

Why I Am Not Supporting Terry Owens 

My conservative convictions guide my choice: responsible spending, accountable government, respect for taxpayers, and opportunities for businesses to prosper. 

Emerge Kentucky identifies Terry Owens as a graduate. Its mission is to recruit, train, and support Democratic women seeking public office—an explicitly partisan purpose. 

I regard that mission as part of the political left, and it does not align with my conservative values. Her association does not establish how she would decide every issue, but it matters in my assessment of her political outlook. I respect her choices, but I do not share them. 

A Plan for Radcliff’s Future 

Toshie is committed to developing a written, long-range city plan. I support that commitment and expect clear goals, public participation, and measurable progress addressing economic development, infrastructure, housing, public safety, and responsible spending. 

A sound plan provides continuity across administrations and confidence for residents and businesses. 

We may not always agree. That is natural in public service. I welcome respectful debate and thoughtful solutions. 

Radcliff deserves leadership that listens, follows through, protects public resources, and plans beyond the next election. It also deserves greater transparency and accountability—areas where, in my judgment, the previous administration fell short. 

Toshie Murrell has my confidence, my support, and my wholehearted endorsement for mayor.