BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
EDGEWOOD -- Former U.S. Senate leader and GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole gave a pair of high-profile Northern Kentucky Republican candidates a financial and political boost Wednesday night.
Mr. Dole, who on Tuesday helped Ohio Congressional candidate Steve Chabot raise money in Cincinnati, attended two fund-raisers Wednesday for Kentucky congressional hopeful Gex "Jay" Williams and dropped in on a fund-raiser for Kenton County judge-executive candidate Dick Murgatroyd.
"Kentucky is fertile ground for Republicans this year," Mr. Dole told of crowd of more than 250 at the larger of Mr. Williams' events, held at the Edgewood home of Ann and Joe Milburn.
"I'm glad to do what I can to help."
Earlier in the day, Mr. Dole -- who flew into the Cincinnati - Northern Kentucky International Airport about 4:45 p.m. -- attended a smaller fund-raiser for Mr. Williams at the Triple Crown Country Club in Richwood that about 50 people attended.
Craig Hendricks, Mr. Williams' campaign manager, said about $35,000 was raised at both events.
Following the fund-raiser at the Milburns', Mr. Dole went across Turkeyfoot Road to the home of Bonnie and John Yeager, where the Murgatroyd event was held.
"It blew people away," said Fort Mitchell attorney Rick Robinson, a local Republican leader who ran Mr. Dole's 1996 presidential campaign in Northern Kentucky and who traveled with the former senator on Wednesday, introducing him at the fund-raisers.
"Here we come in with Bob Dole. I think people were pretty surprised," Mr. Robinson said.
Mr. Murgatroyd, a three-term state legislator from Villa Hills, is running against Democrat Denny Bowman, the mayor of Covington. He raised about $15,000, said Gary Bockelman, a member of Mr. Murgatroyd's campaign team.
Almost 200 people attended the Murgatroyd event, Mr. Bockelman estimated.
In addition to raising money, the Williams campaign was buoyed by the turnout of Republican Party leaders and contributors at its fund-raisers.
Mr. Williams, a three-term state lawmaker from Verona in Boone County, has not always been a part of the GOP establishment in Northern Kentucky, a point his political opponents and the media have been making in his race against Boone County Democrat Ken Lucas.
But several people who attended the Murgatroyd event went across Turkeyfoot Road to make an appearance at Mr. Williams' fund-raiser. Among them were Mr. Murgatroyd, Villa Hills attorney and GOP fund-raiser Lawson Walker, Fort Thomas Mayor and Campbell County judge-executive candidate Steve Pendery, Kenton County Republican Party Chairman Greg Shumate and Kenton County GOP leader Joe Koester. "This is a turning point," said Fort Thomas resident Barb Haas, a Williams supporter and Republican strategist.
"We're unified," said Mr. Shumate. "Gex made a decision a long time ago to really kick his campaign into gear after Labor Day, and that's what he is doing."
At one point there were so many cars pulling into the two events that the Edgewood police had to direct traffic along Turkeyfoot Road.
During a speech at Mr. Williams' fund-raiser and in remarks to reporters, Mr. Dole both commented on and joked about President Bill Clinton and the sex scandal involving Monica Lewinsky.
Mr. Dole said Mr. Clinton lacks the leadership, will, moral authority and integrity "to be a true leader of our nation."
"But we have a lot to thank Bill Clinton for," he said. "He's given (Republicans) 33 governors . . . and control of Congress." The Lewinsky scandal will hurt Democrats on the ballot this fall, Mr. Dole predicted.
"Obviously, there are serious problems with the president and they are not going to go away on Election Day," he said.
Mr. Dole also defended Mr. Williams' military record, which has been under attack from the Democrats.
More than 25 years ago Mr. Williams attended but did not graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy.
However, a state legislative directory published several times that Mr. Williams was an academy graduate. The Lucas camp has said Mr. Williams intentionally lied about his background, a charge Mr. Williams and his campaign has vigorously denied.
"I'd like to put something to rest," said Mr. Dole, a decorated World War II veteran. "I'm proud of (Mr. Williams') service. He got an honorable discharge and never claimed anything else.
"Somebody out there is spreading something that is not accurate," Mr. Dole said.
