By Mark R. Chellgren
The Associated Press

FRANKFORT - It was, of course, entirely coincidental that Lt. Gov. Steve Henry waited until the day after the election - the one in which the Republican Party kept control of the state Senate - to eschew public financing of gubernatorial campaigns.

"This is not a political decision," Mr. Henry said.

There will be all sorts of similar nonpolitical and apolitical decisions and pronouncements made in the coming weeks and months. Because now that the minor distraction of midterm elections is over, the 2003 gubernatorial campaign can begin in earnest.

Not that it hasn't already.

In fact, when the debate over public financing began in March, it was all about the 2003 governor's race.

Senate Republicans raised the topic by eliminating any money for matching funds from the proposed 2003-05 biennial budget. Coached by Sen. Mitch McConnell, his party's foremost opponent of campaign finance restrictions of any kind, the Senate GOP held fast and the result was there is no state budget.

Since then, a dozen people have created committees to explore or finance gubernatorial campaigns.

Mr. Henry was silent on the topic during the budget debate. He said he actually talked to legislators about public financing a few weeks ago, but they prevailed on him to keep quiet until after the election.

Less than 24 hours after the polls closed, Mr. Henry called reporters to tell them he had written letters to the other dozen or so gubernatorial candidates urging them all to join with him in declining public financing for the good of the taxpayer.

As it turns out, Mr. Henry's gesture took place about 24 hours before public financing died. House Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Jody Richards, one of Mr. Henry's rivals for the nomination, said they would not insist on public financing in the next budget, effectively killing it.

Not all the candidates are so quick to discard the notion of partial public financing of gubernatorial campaigns. Under the system, candidates can raise up to about $700,000, then get double that money from the treasury. In exchange, they have to agree to limit spending to that total and participate in candidate forums.

John G. Coburn, a retired four-star general in the Army and Republican candidate, said he supports public financing in the general election, though not for the party primaries. "I believe everyone ought to have the opportunity to be governor or president," he said. "Otherwise you'll have no one but millionaires becoming governor."