BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
They don't call it the silly season for nothing.
Politics getting personal. Campbell County Attorney Justin Verst, a Cold Spring Democrat, has scored a political coup with Republicans for Verst, a group of about 175 GOPers supporting him. "This is really a big boost," said Mr. Verst, a veteran assistant county attorney. "I'm elated to have that many Republicans willing to come out and publicly support me.
"They know my record, they know the record in this office and the work we've done," he added.
Republicans for Verst was organized by Republican Jeff Schlosser, a lawyer and Fort Thomas city councilman.
"I analyzed the two candidates, and even though I'm a Republican and I normally vote Republican, I've always been extremely impressed with Justin Verst . . . and find his values a lot closer to mine than his opponent's."
That opponent is Bob Blau, also a Republican and also a lawyer. Mr. Blau, who switched political parties less than a year ago, has his own theory on why Mr. Schlosser helped organize Republicans for Verst.
Revenge, Mr. Blau claims.
Seems Mr. Blau represented two people who sued Mr. Schlosser's parents over a land dispute in Pendleton County near Kincaid Lake. The suit is being settled, said Mr. Blau and Mr. Schlosser. Mr. Schlosser, by the way, did not represent his parents in the case.
"The only motive he would have to do anything against me is the lawsuit," Mr. Blau said. "I'm certain of it. Otherwise, he's a loyal Republican."
Mr. Blau said he received a handwritten note from Mr. Schlosser during one of his city council campaigns.
"Foolish me, I voted for him," Mr. Blau said. "But I hold no ill will toward Jeff. This is what we do for a living. We're attorneys working in the legal system, but (Republicans for Verst) is just about revenge."
"This has nothing to do with revenge, and I'm not vindictive at all," Mr. Schlosser replied. "But it doesn't surprise me Bob would say that.
"It's a little illogical, though, and it's nothing more than his attempt to put some kind of spin on what's happening here" with the county attorney election, he said.
"There are a whole lot of other Republicans besides myself supporting Justin Verst," Mr. Schlosser said. "Are we supposed to believe all the other Republicans are supporting Justin because Bob has sued their relatives? I don't think so."
Attorney Tim Nolan, the southern Campbell County Democrat-turned-Republican who ran unsuccessfully in the May GOP county judge-executive primary, said Mr. Blau will get plenty of his own crossover votes from Democrats. "Like me, Bob Blau switched parties for philosophical reasons," Mr. Nolan said. "He's tied to the old-time Democrats from his family and other Democrats, but the Republicans are also solidly behind him."
Polling away. A new poll showing Democrat Ken Lucas pulling away from Republican Gex "Jay" Williams in the 4th District congressional race was performed by -- surprise, surprise -- Mr. Lucas' pollster. The poll of 504 likely voters was conducted Sept. 2-4 by Democratic pollster Cooper & Secrest Associates. It shows Mr. Lucas leading Mr. Williams 37 percent to 32 percent in a head-to-head comparison and carries a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.
That compares with a similar poll performed by the firm in April, which showed Mr. Lucas trailing Mr. Williams, 31 percent to 25 percent. "These results reflect a 12-point jump in (Mr.) Lucas' share from the poll taken last April while Gex Williams has not moved," the Lucas camp said in a news release.
Though the poll was done by Mr. Lucas' pollster, there should be some concern over at Mr. Williams' headquarters in Erlanger. Campaigns conduct polls all the time, and won't typically release results if they are trailing badly. Case in point was that April poll. The local media discovered it in the Washington press, not from Mr. Lucas' campaign operatives.
John Lapp, Mr. Lucas' campaign manager, attributes his showing in the most recent poll to two main factors:
Ads and issues. The Lucas campaign has put five radio spots on the air with another expected today, while Mr. Williams is yet to advertise.
Mr. Lucas has also put out position papers on a number of issues. Mr. Williams has not released a single position paper or statement, though he says they are coming very soon.
Ethical woes. Mr. Williams, a three-term state lawmaker, continues to suffer the battering he is taking, from his opposition and the media, over alleged violations of Kentucky ethics code and campaign laws.
His problems include allegations of making campaign-related phone calls from his Statehouse office, a violation of state law, and illegally benefiting from a land deal.
Mr. Williams' campaign manager, Craig Hendricks, predicted that Mr. Williams will be cleared by the Kentucky Ethics Commission, which is investigating the charges.
"We were hoping it would be over by now, but absolutely Gex will be exonerated," Mr. Hendricks said. "Gex Williams has a sterling ethics record, and the sooner it gets resolved, the better."
But earlier this week, the ethics commission Chairman Charles "Bruce" Lester, a Fort Thomas Republican, said the panel will begin issuing subpoenas because of a "lack of cooperation" from some witnesses.
That doesn't sound like the investigations are going away any time soon, meaning the allegations will continue to hang over Mr. Williams.
Still, Mr. Hendricks said he is not concerned by the poll results. Given the margin of error and Mr. Lucas' five-point lead, "this race is a dead heat," he said.
"We've given (Mr. Lucas) a free ride for months," Mr. Hendricks said. "He's done negative campaigning and false paid advertising by trying to paint himself as a conservative.
"Ken Lucas is no conservative, and pretty soon he'll have some major explaining to do about his record."
Patrick Crowley covers Kentucky politics for the Enquirer. He can be reached at 578-5581, or (502) 875-7526 in Frankfort.
CROWLEY ARCHIVE