Friday, January 01, 1999
Lucas, Bunning friends to witness oath of office
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FORT MITCHELL — Jim West credits Ken Lucas with hiring him 11 years ago to run what was then a fledgling organization dedicated to bringing jobs and development to Northern Kentucky.
So Mr. West, the former head of the Tri-County Economic Development Corp. (Tri-ED) and now the president of the Augusta, Ga., Chamber of Commerce, said Thursday he is looking forward to traveling to Washington next week to watch Mr. Lucas sworn as Kentucky's 4th District congressman.
“Ken was involved with starting Tri-ED and he was the guy who actually hired me back in '87,” said Mr. West, who left Northern Kentucky last year after helping bring 159 new companies and nearly 20,000 jobs to the region over a decade.
“He was a friend all the way through my time in Northern Kentucky, and I have a real close affinity for him. So I wouldn't miss him being sworn into Congress,” Mr. West said.
Mr. West will join a number of Northern Kentuckians heading to the nation's capital to see Mr. Lucas sworn in, along with Southgate Republican Jim Bunning as he takes the oath of office as a U.S. Senator.
Mr. Lucas, the Boone County Democrat who beat Republican Gex “Jay” Williams for Mr. Bunning's old House seat, expects as many as 100 people to make the trip to Washington.
“We thought it would be a small number so we blocked off just a few rooms” at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill Hotel, he said. “But it kept growing and growing and now I think about 40 rooms are taken.”
Among those heading to Washington are interim Kenton County Judge-executive Rodney “Biz” Cain; real estate firm owner Jim Huff; Edgewood at torney Bill Robinson; Bob Sathe, a regional vice president at CIGNA Financial Advisors, where Mr. Lucas works; and Mark Guilfoyle, the Walton attorney and Democratic political strategist who ran Mr. Lucas' campaign.
The Bunning camp isn't sure how many people are making the trip.
“We haven't done an exact count,” said Debbie McKinney, a longtime aide to Mr. Bunning. “But I think it's quite a few people.”
“Our friends Jim Bunning and Ken Lucas are stepping up to major leadership responsibilities to represent Kentucky and our community,” Mr. Robinson said.
“It is important for Northern Kentuckians to show our support for their efforts, and certainly being in Washington is one effective way to do that,” he said. “It will be a historic, wonderful day.”
Mr. Bunning served in the U.S. House for six terms before beating Lexington Democrat Scotty Baesler in the 1998 Senate race.
Several of Mr. Bunning's nine children including son, David, an assistant U.S. Attorney, and daughter, Amy Towles, will see their father become a senator.
A trio of local Republican Party activists also is planning to attend: Damon Thayer, 4th District GOP chairman; Boone County Republican Party Chairman Jay Hall; and Hayes Robertson of Alexandria, who worked on the Bunning campaign.
“When Jim Bunning announced he would be running for Senate I knew I'd be making this trip,” Mr. Thayer said. “As
a relative newcomer to politics seeing the swearing-in ceremony will be an absolute thrill. I can't wait.”
Members of the 106th Congress are scheduled to be sworn in at noon on Wednesday. A reception for Mr. Bunning and his supporters will be held that afternoon at the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee office.
Kentucky U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Louisville Republican who was instrumental in getting Mr. Bunning into the Senate race and who assisted him in the campaign, is chairman of the Senate campaign committee.
Eastern Kentucky banker Mike Duncan, a Republican National Committeeman and Mr. Bunning's campaign chairman, may also host a party for Mr. Bunning later that evening.
Mr. Lucas will host a party Tuesday night at the Capitol Hill Hyatt and a reception at his House office immediately after the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday.
Then Wednesday night he and his wife, Mary, will treat a few dozen friends to dinner at an Italian restaurant on Capitol Hill.
Snow storm blowing our way
New rules for new teen-age drivers
Ohio gets first female governor
2000 brings hope, hype
Tristate festivities shape up for 2000
Worldwide party in New Year 2000
World's largest bell will announce 2000
Cincinnati's Century of Change
Boone kept building in 1998
Christmas Day assault charged in officer case
Court won't hear most of murder suspect's statement
Diabetes sufferers welcome library
Town a powerful contrast
is time to build in Warren
Kenton jailer wants $583,000 upgrade
Lucas, Bunning friends to witness oath of office
MILLENNIUM MOMENT
Phone service for poor blasted
Site of Hill's may see new use
TRISTATE DIGEST
