Up against long-time incumbent and Trigg County Judge-Executive Stan Humphries in the 2026 May Republican Primary, local citizen Sam Carter has drafted a website for his election campaign: samcarter2026.com.
And it’s here where Carter said he’s been a Trigg County resident for more than 53 years — 46 of which he spent in a career with CSX Transportation, where oversaw the operations of more than 21,000 miles of railroad from Homestead, Florida, to a pair of provinces in Canada.
During the last two decades of his career, he was responsible for planning system-wide maintenance projects.
Carter attests that during his time with CSX he worked directly with every company CEO from Prime F. Osborn III onward, and that his own reputation was built on “accountability, strong leadership and a no-nonsense approach to solving problems.”
Carter currently serves as the president of the Trigg-Lyon County Fire Department Board, where he has reportedly improved operations, supported volunteer firefighters and strengthened emergency response for local residents. He also organized the construction of the heliport pad there, which has become a critical asset for emergency air transport and lifesaving medical access.
Married for more than 50 years, Carter said he wants to bring commitment, responsibility and family-community-first approach to the job if elected — and he promises not only to return his judge-executive’s salary back to the public for improvements, but wants to key on four major platforms: tax transparency, public safety, fiscal responsibility and community growth.
