BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ERLANGER -- West Kentucky Republican Congressman Ron Lewis is pitching in to help some Northern Kentucky GOP candidates.
Mr. Lewis, a three-term U.S. House member from Elizabethtown, helped raise money Friday for Republicans Gary Moore, candidate for Boone County judge-executive, and Fourth District Congressional candidate Gex "Jay" Williams of Verona.
Earlier this week Mr. Lewis appeared at a Woodford County fund-raiser for his U.S. House colleague Jim Bunning of Southgate, candidate for the U.S. Senate. Former President George Bush was the featured speaker at that event, which was held on a Midway, Ky., thoroughbred horse farm and raised almost $270,000 for the Bunning campaign.
"I'm happy to help Northern Kentucky Republican candidates," Mr. Lewis said Friday at the Airport Holiday Inn in Erlanger, where he spoke at a fund-raiser for Mr. Moore.
"This area is the leading edge of what Kentucky is moving toward, and that is a good, strong two-party system," Mr. Lewis said. "That's exactly what Kentucky needs. We've seen it happen in the rest of the south and we're seeing it here in Kentucky.
"A two-party system just works better. It keeps people honest." About 70 people attended Mr. Moore's luncheon fund-raiser, which raised about $15,000, said Bob Elliston, Mr. Moore's campaign manager.
"Gary Moore is a great candidate, and Boone County will certainly benefit from somebody like him," Mr. Lewis said. "He's a public servant through his work in organizations in the community, he's active in his church and he wants to serve his community in an even greater way by holding public office."
Mr. Moore said he was "very honored and humbled to have someone of Mr. Lewis' caliber take time out of his busy schedule to assist me in this campaign."
Mr. Moore is running against Democrat Jim Collins of Florence, the Boone County administrator.
Friday afternoon Mr. Lewis traveled to his native eastern Kentucky to appear at a Greenup County fund-raiser for Mr. Williams, who is running against Democrat Ken Lucas of Boone County in the Fourth District race.
The district stretches from northeastern Kentucky through Northern Kentucky to near Louisville in the west.
"Gex Williams is a hard campaigner," Mr. Lewis said prior to the Moore fund-raiser. "I talk to a lot of his friends in the state legislature, and they tell me no one is better than him at working on the grassroots level."
Mr. Williams was traveling in eastern Kentucky Friday and could not be reached. In addition to attending the fund-raiser in Russell, Ky., Mr. Williams also campaigned Friday night at the Boyd County-Russell football game.
In an interview, Mr. Lewis also talked about the scandal involving President Clinton, saying the report from independent prosecutor Kenneth Starr could be sent to Congress as early as next week when lawmakers return from their August recess.
"Just on its face value and what we already know, it looks like there will be some very damaging material in that report," Mr. Lewis said.
Mr. Lewis said he does not expect Mr. Clinton to resign, "though he probably should." But he did say he would not be surprised if impeachment proceedings are held once Congress delves into the report.
"It will be incumbent on the House of Representatives to look at that evidence and if it is there, I don't think we have any choice but to bring articles of impeachment . . . "he said.
