Admit it. Having no elections this year was a nice break. But candidates and their supporters are gearing up for '02. Let the games begin.

Raising jack

        Democrats and Republicans in Kenton County spent last week collecting campaign contributions for the coming election year.

        A few hundred Republicans jammed into a banquet room at Fort Mitchell's Drawbridge Inn on Tuesday — which would have been Election Night had there been an election — for a party fund-raiser that must have been one heckuva party.

        “We had a great time,” said Kenton County GOP Chairman Greg Shumate. “For an off-year election, the turnout was phenomenal.”

        The party raised nearly $15,000 for GOTV — Get Out The Vote — efforts in next year's county election.

        “The turnout shows people are geared up for next year,” Mr. Shumate said. “Every one of our elected officials sold tickets and participated in the planning of the event.

        “It was a great show of unity.”

        The talk of unity among Kenton County Republicans makes for nice spin, but the GOP is set for a couple of tough primaries in the spring, most notably incumbent Garry Edmondson versus challenger Eric Deters in the county attorney's race and Commissioner Adam Koenig against Michael Plummer in a fiscal court contest.

        If the party can stay unified after those wars, more power to them and the Democrats' chance for winning back courthouse seats could dim.

        Meanwhile, a couple of hundred check writers showed up at a Thursday night fund-raiser for Patrick Hughes, the Fort Wright Democrat running for Kenton County Judge-executive against incumbent Dick Murgatroyd.

        The event was at the Villa Hills home of Rob and Amy Carlisle. The campaign is keeping the amount of money raised quiet for now.

        “I'd tell you,” said Mr. Hughes' treasurer, Jim Poston, “but then I'd have to kill you.”

        Sure don't want that. Of course, we'll find out how much was raised when year-end campaign finance reports are filed in December.

        But by the looks of the crowd and the vehicles parked on the street — Porsches, Jags, Beamers, Caddys, giant SUVs, a '96 Camry (whoops, that was mine) — some significant cash was reeled in.

A Democratic primary?

        Lawyer Kate Molloy announced Friday that she will run next year for Kenton County attorney. So far she is the only Democrat in the race, and party leaders don't expect her to have a primary challenge.

        But some Kenton County Republicans are covertly trying to recruit a Democrat to run against her in the May primary.

        The reason - they want her to spend money and take some political hits rather than getting a free pass until the general election.

        The Democrats would prefer having Ms. Molloy sit back and stay out of the fray early next year while Mr. Edmondson and Mr. Deters battle for the seat.

        Key Dems have admitted that part of their strategy in the race hinges on a bloody GOP primary.

Off the mark

        Boone County Democrats, and even many Republicans, couldn't believe Tim Alexander claimed the controversy over his connection to Providence was politically motivated.

        Mr. Alexander and another Boone County man, Tony Lamb, face misdemeanor charges because Kenton County prosecutors say they failed to obtain city and county business licenses for Providence, a Covington company that provides temporary payments to people hurt in accidents or to the survivors of people killed.

        Providence got some unfavorable national attention when it was reported that the firm sent solicitation letters to the families of 76 airline passengers who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

        The publicity forced Mr. Alexander, a Boone County insurance agent, out of the county fiscal court race. A Republican, Mr. Alexander had planned on taking on Democratic incumbent Tim Hamilton next year.

        But in dropping out of the race last week Mr. Alexander, without mentioning specifics, claimed he was the target of political attacks. He also denied all charges against him.

        The story about Providence, however, broke nationally in the New York Times in mid-October. That makes Mr. Alexander's claim that the attacks against him were politically motivated seem unlikely, if not impossible, since I don't believe the Times has a reporter covering Boone County politics.

        But maybe they should.

        Patrick Crowley covers Kentucky politics. He can be reached at (859) 578-5581, or by e-mail at pcrowley@Enquirer.com.

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