In this Sept. 8, 2015, file photo, Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, with Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee at her side, greets the crowd after being released from the Carter County Detention Center, in Grayson, Ky. Davis, hauled to jail for defying a series of federal court orders and refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, filed a 40-page court document Thursday, Sept. 24, blaming Kentucky governor Steve Beshear for all her legal woes. Photo: AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File

In this Sept. 8, 2015, file photo, Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, with Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee at her side, greets the crowd after being released from the Carter County Detention Center, in Grayson, Ky. Davis, hauled to jail for defying a series of federal court orders and refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, filed a 40-page court document Thursday, Sept. 24, blaming Kentucky governor Steve Beshear for all her legal woes. Photo: AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File

Notoriously anti-gay Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis can breathe a little easier today. Davis infamously turned away David Ermold and his fiancé, David Moore, when they applied for a marriage license and spent time in jail for refusing to do her job.

Ermold announced late last year that he would run against Davis after she announced she was switching to the Republican party. Unfortunately, voters sent Ermold away empty-handed too in yesterday’s primary elections.

Ermold lost the race to fellow Democrat Elwood Caudill Jr. Caudill has said he doesn’t plan on making same-sex marriage or Davis’ stance against it part of his campaign.

“What happened in 2015 is in the past and just as my logo says, we’re just focused on the future,” he said.

Ermold, for his part, was gracious in his loss.

Today, I stand amazed by the outpouring of support for our campaign by both those in Rowan County and by those across the country. Our primary was a truly competitive race, and I am so proud of our accomplishments. — David Ermold (@DErmold) May 23, 2018

“We knew from the beginning that we had a difficult task, and while our campaign is coming to a close, our work to reaffirm Rowan County as a diverse and welcoming community has only just begun,” Ermold said.

“While it is easy to share and grow in our commonalities, we must also work to bridge our differences to find understanding. As a community, we may not always agree on every issue, but our community should be one based on fairness and respect.

“Our clerk’s office touches the lives of every person in the community, and we must have leadership dedicated to our needs. Our leadership must be willing to serve ALL our people, and it must value the unique needs of every citizen.”