WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky. — The race for Northern Kentucky's new state Senate seat is getting crowded.

        On Friday, Democrat Clifford Wallace, 62, the superintendent of the Williamstown Independent Schools in Grant County, filed election papers in Frankfort to run for the 17th District Senate Seat.

        Already in the race are Democrat Charles Wells, a union official from Georgetown in Scott County, and Republican Damon Thayer also of Scott County. Mr. Thayer, an executive in the thoroughbred horse racing industry, is the vice chairman of the Kentucky Republican Party and a former Grant County resident.

        The 17th District Senate seat was created earlier this year by the Kentucky General Assembly when lawmakers redrew legislative lines based on population figures in the 2000 Census. The new district includes Grant, Owen and Scott counties and Kenton County, south of Independence.

        Mr. Wallace has not run for or held office before. A career educator, Mr. Wallace began his career 38 years ago in the Grant County Schools. He was superintendent of the Pendleton County Schools for 14 years and since 1994 has been superintendent in Williamstown. He plans to retire at the end of this school year.

        “I'm at the stage in my life and my education career where I can do this,” Mr. Wallace said Friday. “I've always been interested in government and politics and I want to expand that interest by serving in the Kentucky Senate.

        “I'm offering my background in education, and I believe my lifelong residence in this region gives me a wide perspective,” he said.

        If elected, Mr. Wallace said he would work to revise the state's tax structure to make it more equitable and try to bring together some of the factions battling in Frankfort.

        Lawmakers adjourned from legislative session earlier this year without passing a state budget. House Democrats and Senate Republicans could not agree on the Democratic proposal to use tax dollars to partially fund gubernatorial elections.

        Mr. Wallace, who helped create the Kincaid Theater in Falmouth, said expanding the arts in Kentucky's schools and communities would also be a part of his campaign platform.

        The 17th District was relocated from southeastern Kentucky when the General Assembly redrew boundaries this year and is currently represented by Sen. Daniel Mongiardo, D-Hazard. Mr. Mongiardo is running for the 30th District Senate seat, which was redrawn to include Hazard. If Mr. Mongiardo wins, he'll resign his 17th District seat, forcing a special election that would likely be held next year. If he loses, he can retain his seat in the 17th until 2004 or resign. Mr. Mongiardo has said he would resign unless majority control of the state Senate depended on his seat.

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