Secretary of State Elaine Walker, a Democrat and former mayor of Bowling Green, was appointed on January 29, 2011, to fill the unexpired term of Trey Grayson.

Democratic consultant Dale Emmons, who was working for Grimes' campaign, said she also had the endorsements of U.S. Representative Ben Chandler and Lexington Mayor Jim Gray.

[6] Bill Johnson, a businessman from Todd County in Western Kentucky, briefly ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in 2010, but withdrew from the race in March after polls showed him trailing Trey Grayson and Rand Paul.

He enjoyed Tea Party support during his abortive run for Senate, and finished third in the primary election with 7,861 votes (2.2 percent) despite his withdrawal.

[7] In August, Johnson told the media that it was unlikely he would run for governor, but he was looking at the 2011 races for secretary of state or auditor.

[6] On January 25, 2011, Hilda Gay Legg of Somerset became the second Republican candidate to file for secretary of state.