Sunday, August 22, 1999
Bauer's future carved in butter?
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Gary Bauer inspects a Last Supper butter carving at the Iowa State Fair.
(AP photo)
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Gary Bauer, the Newport native running for the GOP presidential nomination, showed how a conservative message and a grass-roots campaign can attract voters.
In the recent Iowa Straw Poll of Republican candidates, he finished a solid fourth, well ahead of better-known pols such as Dan Quayle, Pat Buchanan and Lamar Alexander.
Mr. Bauer worked hard on the Iowa campaign trail. And an Associated Press photo proved that nothing is too absurd on the stump.
In the photo Mr. Bauer is posing with a woman named Norma “Duffy” Lyons, who displayed her Last Supper butter carving at the Iowa State Fair.
Mr. Bauer is a devout Baptist who takes his religion very seriously. But looking closely at the photo, it appears that even Mr. Bauer is about to snicker at the sculpture.
Challenger suits up
State Rep. Paul Marcotte, a three-term Republican from Union, could face a Democratic challenge next year for the first time since 1996.
Democrat Larry Burcham, a real estate broker and auctioneer who has an office in Burlington, is being recruited to run against Mr. Marcotte next year.
“Some people have talked to me about it, but right now I'm just running my business,” said a coy Mr. Burcham, who has told friends he is considering running.
Democrats in Boone County are like those mastodons down at Big Bone Lick State Park — they're becoming extinct.
A few months ago, the GOP overtook the Dems in the number of registered voters in the county, making Boone County the largest Republican-controlled county in the state.
And Mr. Marcotte, who represents the 60th House District, is considered one of the most honorable members of the Kentucky General Assembly. Unlike some of his local GOP legislative colleagues, he puts politics aside when voting on issues and projects benefiting the region.
That said, Mr. Burcham could prove to be a tough adversary. He served as interim Boone County judge-executive last year after Ken Lucas resigned to run for Congress. And he is well-known and well-liked across the county.
Count on the Dems putting a lot of resources, time and money into the race if Mr. Burcham gets in. He could be their best shot at winning back a legislative slot since Burlington Democrat Bill McBee, who served nearly 20 years in Frankfort before losing his seat to former lawmaker Gex “Jay” Williams in 1991.
Get-well wishes
Many of the region's leaders, pols and power brokers were at Northern Kentucky University last Wednesday for the unveiling of projects regional leaders want the legislature to fund next year.
Absent was Edgewood resident Paul Smith, one of the top executives at Fidelity Investment's regional headquarters in Covington.
Mr. Smith was recovering at a Cincinnati hospital after begin shot Tuesday by his mentally ill son, Kevin, who then took his own life.
Mr. Smith is known in Northern Kentucky as a tireless volunteer and member of many boards and organizations.
Mr. Smith is also an avid tennis player who is close to James Votruba, the president of NKU. Just a few days before the shooting, Mr. Smith, Dr. Votruba and their spouses took in the ATP tennis tournament in Mason.
During Wednesday's program at NKU, visitors were asked to sign a tennis encyclopedia for Mr. Smith. Just about everybody signed and added get-well wishes and other notes.
Patrick Crowley covers Kentucky politics for The Kentucky Enquirer. His column appears Thursdays and Sundays. He can be reached at crowleys@cinci.infi.net.
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