COVINGTON — Eager to show broad-based, youthful support for Kenton County Judge-executive Dick Murgatroyd, Republicans have rolled out a committee of young professionals backing him in the 2002 election.

        Young Professionals for Murgatroyd, which the GOP is calling “YP4Murg,” is a group of 50 professionals under 40 who have contributed $50 to Mr. Murgatroyd and who have pledged to work on his campaign, said Park Hills lawyer Trey Grayson, the group's organizer.

        “We had the same kind of group in last year's presidential race for George W. Bush,” said Mr. Grayson, a member of the Kenton County Republican Executive Committee.

        “We're now coming together to re-elect a visionary leader as our county judge-executive,” he said. “Eighty percent of the people in the group have never given money to Mr. Murgatroyd. But they are excited about being involved ... and this group is going to be out on the streets working.”

        Mr. Grayson said that in addition to contributing money the group will campaign for Mr. Murgatroyd, a Villa Hills Republican seeking a second term in next year's countywide election.

        Mr. Murgatroyd, 64, said he is grateful for having

        “this group of young professionals together to serve as foot soldiers in carrying our message of continued positive, progressive government all across this county.”

        “I have dedicated the energies of my administration to planning for the future and I understand these young people are the future,” he said.

        The Republicans denied that the group was formed to compete with the message of Mr. Murgatroyd's challenger, Fort Wright Democrat Patrick Hughes, 32, who has a campaign theme of “a new generation of leadership.”

        “This is not a reaction to anything Patrick Hughes does or says,” said Greg Shumate, the chairman of the Kenton County Republican Party and the co-chairman of Mr. Murgatroyd's campaign.

        “This has been in the planning stages for a long time,” he said. “But (Mr. Murgatroyd) put things on hold for nearly a month, including fund-raising and campaign an nouncements, while the nation and the community was dealing with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.”

        Democrats responded by again pointing out what they consider Mr. Murgatroyd's most potent political weaknesses in the race: his votes to raise payroll, property and utility taxes; and his inability to thus far find a suitable location to build a new county jail.

        “The vast majority of young professionals in Kenton County are simply not going to support a man who raised taxes,” said Kenton County Democratic strategist Mark Guilfoyle, who is advising Mr. Hughes' campaign.

        Dave Caddell, another Kenton County Democrat, said he jokingly plans to form a group called “Why Be For Murg” or YB4Murg.

        “Why would any young professional support someone who raised taxes?” Mr. Caddell said. “Why would any young professional support someone who has proven incapable of deciding where to locate a new jail?

        “Forming phony partisan front groups as a smokescreen to hide the lack of leadership shown by Dick Murgatroyd on important county issues isn't going to fool anybody,” Mr. Caddell said.

        Mr. Grayson said the Democrats should take YP4Murg seriously.

        “I think the Democrats' reaction is really pretty funny,” Mr. Grayson said. “It's fun to play games back and forth. But we're going to be out there to make a difference in this campaign. And that's no joke.”

Who they are
               Here is the list of members of YP4Murg, or Young Professionals for Murgatroyd, a group supporting the re-election of Republican Kenton County Judge-executive Dick Murgatroyd.

        Paul Alley, Shawn Baker, Gregory W. Bates, J.S. “Brook” Brooking, Justin Durstock, Ken Easterling, Nick W. Ferrigno, Kevin J. Garrett, Trey Grayson, Scott Guenther, Brian P. Halloran, Brian Haney, Mitch Hatfield, David L. Hatter, Ehmet Hayes, Stephen Knipper, Kris A. Knochelman, Adam Koenig, Ted Koester, Steve Kramer, Tom Kriege, Neil Middendorf, Jeffrey T. Middendorf, John C. Middleton and Tony Milburn.

        And Chris Morconi, Donald Nageleisen, Ruey Newsome, Chris Nordloh, Delanie Nordloh, Julie Jones Parton, Lisa Pauley, Lisa A. Raterman, Mary Reeder, James R. Schrand, Joe Shriver, Rhonda Shriver, Gregory S. Shumate, Shad Sletto, Matt Smith, Steve Smith, Joseph A. Soldano, Charles C. Tassell, William Terwort, Brandon N. Voelker, Sara Voelker, Monica Wainscott, Gabe Wainscott, Marc A. Wilson and Robert C. Ziegler.

        Source: Young Professionals for Murgatroyd

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