Gay man challenges Kentucky clerk whose marriage license she denied

MOREHEAD, Ky. — Shelly Phillips works in an office at the First United Methodist Church in Laramie, Wyo., and rarely donates to political candidates.

But in December, she sent a small donation to David Ermold, who wants to be the next clerk in Rowan County, Ky., about 1,200 miles from where she lives. She’s one of more than 5,000 people from at least 48 states who have donated in increments of $10 and $20 to Ermold, giving him more than $200,000 for an election that could require as few as 900 votes to win.

Her interest in the far-flung campaign is less about specific needs than a general principle: The LGBT activist wants to see a gay candidate defeat the clerk who denied him a marriage license.