BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
RICHWOOD — It was unofficial and hardly scientific, but Wednesday night, former Gov. Louie Nunn won what was thought to be Kentucky's first GOP straw poll for next year's gubernatorial primary.
The poll was taken among members of the Boone County Republican Party, which held its Christmas Party Wednesday night at the Triple Crown County Club.
Mr. Nunn, who was governor from 1967 to 1971 and was the last Republican to hold the office, had 157 votes. Eastern Kentucky banker Mike Duncan had 109 votes while Hart County publicist Peppy Martin had 33.
Will T. Scott, a Pikeville attorney who ran for attorney general in 1991, received no votes.
So far, only Ms. Martin has formally announced plans to run for governor. The others say they are still considering getting in the race against Democratic incumbent Gov. Paul Patton, the first governor in modern history able to seek a second term.
Mr. Duncan and Ms. Martin attended the event.
Mr. Duncan said he plans to decide on running for governor over the Christmas holidays.
“I'll get together with my family, my wife and my son, and I'll make the decision then. I have been making a lot of phone calls and talking to people all across the state, so I know I'll make a good, informed decision, whatever it is,” he said.
However, Mr. Duncan gave what certainly sounded like a stump speech in remarks he made to the crowd of about 160 people.
He chided Mr. Patton and the Democrats who control the legislature for lingering problems with the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) and the rising cost of health insurance. The legislature has tried with little success to reform health insurance in Kentucky by driving down costs and increasing access. But insurance companies have fled the state, claiming they cannot make money under the reforms, and the companies still in the state have steadily raised rates over the past several years.
“You know what a mess our health care system is in Kentucky,” Mr. Duncan said. “You know it's been the last two Democratic administrations that have gotten us into that mess with health care.”
Mr. Duncan also pledged to reduce taxes, saying “we're overtaxed in Kentucky.”
And he strongly hinted that the Republicans will attack Mr. Patton next year on abortion. Mr. Patton drew the ire of people opposed to abortion this spring when he vetoed a bill that requires a woman to wait 24 hours before receiving an abortion.
“That's something you'll hear more about in this campaign,” Mr. Duncan said.
Ms. Martin said she wants to run because it's time to change the years of Democratic dominance in Frankfort.
She also predicted that Mr. Patton will try to win the support of organized labor by pushing legislation to allow public employees, including teachers, to collectively bargain and go on strike.
Though labor unions helped Mr. Patton win the 1991 election, many unions and labor leaders have turned on the governor for his role in reforming the state's workers' compensation laws. The reforms made it harder for workers to collect.
“I don't think we want our public employees going on strike,” Ms. Martin said.
Mr. Duncan is an eastern Kentucky native who managed Southgate Republican Jim Bunning's winning U.S. Senate campaign this year. He also worked in the White House for George Bush, served as state GOP chairman and is a National Republican Committeeman.
Ms. Martin lives on a Hart County farm and is an advertising and public relations executive in Bonnieville, Ky. She worked in Mr. Nunn's administration.
Much of the talk at the party was about the success and growth of the GOP in Boone County.
“We won 14 out of 16 (county) races” in the Nov. 3 election, said Boone County Magistrate-elect Shawn Staggs. “It's been a great year for Republicans in Boone County.”
State Sen. Dick Roeding, R-Lakeside Park, who represents Boone County in the Kentucky General Assembly, said when he first ran for office in 1990, the county Republican Party “used to meet in the backroom at Shoney's.”
“And we couldn't even fill one table. You sure have come a long way, and it's why our candidates are so successful in the elections,” he said.
There was also lots of dinner and cocktail chatter over the possible impeachment of Bill Clinton and the president's decision Wednesday night to attack Iraq.
“My first thoughts and prayers are with the men and women who are engaged in this exercise, but you certainly hope it's for the right reasons,” said 4th Congressional District Republican Party Chairman Damon Thayer.
“I just think with this president, there is some deserved skepticism.”
