The Associated Press

LA GRANGE, Ky. - Asserting his constitutional qualification to run for lieutenant governor, Hunter Bates' attorneys stated in court papers Tuesday that Kentucky is where he has lived, voted, married, bought cars and paid taxes.

Bates never voted, owned property or joined the bar association in Virginia, where he spent a "temporary absence from Kentucky" to get experience in a Washington, D.C., law firm and work for U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, according to a brief filed in Oldham County Circuit Court.

"No amount of semantic gerrymandering can move him out of Kentucky," the brief says.

Judge Paul W. Rosenblum has set a hearing today on a lawsuit alleging that Bates, running mate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Ernie Fletcher, has not resided in Kentucky long enough.

Kentucky's constitution requires candidates for governor and lieutenant governor to have been a citizen and resident of the state for six years before election.

The suit was by Curtis Shain, a University of Louisville student. Bob Heleringer, running mate of Republican candidate Steve Nunn, has asked to join the suit.

Bates, a native of Williamsburg in Whitley County, contends he never intended to abandon Kentucky and that living in the Washington area "by necessity, on a temporary basis," did not constitute a change of residency.