FORT MITCHELL — During last year's campaign season, Northern Kentucky Republicans frequently attacked U.S. Rep. Ken Lucas as a “man without a party.”

        Though they failed to derail the Boone County congressman in November — Mr. Lucas cruised to re-election by beating Oldham County Democrat Don Bell — GOP leaders predicted Mr. Lucas would be ineffective in the 107th Congress because he often shuns his party and votes a more conservative line with House Republicans.

Lucas

        But in just the first full week of George W. Bush's administration, it appears that Mr. Lucas and a collection of other conservative to moderate Democrats known as “Blue Dogs” are in one of the most powerful positions in Washington.

        With equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats in the Senate and with the GOP holding just a 10-seat margin in the House, political experts predict the Blue Dogs will be courted by both parties and the Bush White House for their support.

        “The Blue Dogs have the run of the field,” said University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato, who closely follows Congress.

        “The margins are so close that with the inevitable defections of at least a few Republicans, Bush will need some moderate and conser vative Democrats to move his agenda. So they are going to have a lot of influence.”

        Sensing the group's clout, Mr. Bush met with the Blue Dogs on Tuesday in Washington, a meeting Mr. Lucas attended.

        The term “blue dog” is taken from the South's longtime description of a party loyalist as someone who would vote for a yellow dog if it were on the ballot as a Democrat. The “blue dog” nickname is from members of a new coalition who said their moderate views have been “choked off” to the point that yellow dogs had turned blue.

        Blue Dog members include Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., who represents southern Indiana, as well as members of Congress from Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Missouri, Virginia and California. There are 31. The coalition has pushed an agenda and legislation calling for fiscal constraint, lower taxes and a balanced budget.

        “The Blue Dogs are probably the most moderate group of people in Congress on either side of the aisle. We're the ones with the most open minds,” Mr. Lucas said Thursday after a Kenton County Democratic Party breakfast at the Drawbridge Inn in Fort Mitchell.

        Part of the agenda at Tuesday's meeting included Mr. Bush pushing his education plan.

        Mr. Lucas said the Blue Dogs are receptive to portions of Mr. Bush's plan, including raising standards and holding schools more accountable for student learning.

        “There's a lot of good stuff there,” he said.

        But Mr. Lucas and his fellow Blue Dogs are largely against the idea of school vouchers.

        Mr. Bush has proposed to give $1,500 vouchers to the parents of students in public schools that are deemed failures for three years in a row. That money would help parents pay to send their children to private schools, including religious schools.

        “Vouchers won't make it,” Mr. Lucas said. “I just don't think we'll want to pull money away from federal education.”

        Mr. Lucas does hope for a cordial and productive relationship with the new president.

        “I think we'll be with him when he's right, but I don't think we'll let politics interfere,” he said. “I think that's what the people of Northern Kentucky and the people of America want.”

        Democrats are delighting in Mr. Lucas' leverage, especially given the criticism the congressman took in the election and during August's Democratic National Convention, including Edgewood lawyer Mark Guilfoyle, a Democrat and political adviser to Mr. Lucas.

        Mr. Lucas had refused to attend the convention because of differences he had with Presidential candidate Al Gore on such issues as gun control, tobacco and abortion.

        “Ken Lucas is absolutely right in the thick of things,” Mr. Guilfoyle said. “He's in a pivotal position in the 107th Congress.”

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