Friday, January 29, 1999
Lucas stays conservative - so far
Democrat pleases local GOP
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FLORENCE — U.S. Rep. Ken Lucas is trying to make all the right conservative moves in Washington.
Mr. Lucas, the Boone County Democrat elected 4th District congressman in November, has made efforts in the past two weeks to show voters he is as conservative in the nation's capitol as he was in making promises on the campaign trail last year.
Republicans in the district, which includes Northern Kentucky, say so far Mr. Lucas has not strayed too far from his campaign pledges.
But they also say few votes have been taken by the 106th Congress, and when the tough decisions have to be made the voters will see whether Mr. Lucas is a true conservative.
“My wish is he goes up to Washington and represents the 4th District the way his constituents want him to,” said Boone County Republican Party Chairman Jay Hall, who campaigned hard against Mr. Lucas.
“But I don't think he is going to do that without the pressure of the Republican Party leadership watching his back and calling him on every single vote, and I intend to do that,” Mr. Hall said.
In last year's election, Mr. Lucas beat Boone County Republican Gex “Jay” Williams, a state senator known for back ing staunch conservative causes such as opposition to abortion and less government spending.
GOP leaders have already made it known they are trying to recruit a candidate to take Mr. Lucas on in 2000.
But Republicans seem to have little quarrel so far with how Mr. Lucas has positioned himself in Washington.
For instance, Mr. Lucas has joined the House's Pro-Life Caucus, a group of lawmakers opposed to abortion, a huge political issue in Northern Kentucky and the 4th District.
“I will work with the caucus, Kentucky Right to Life and all others who believe in the sanctity of life to maintain pro-life policies such as the ban on partial-birth abortions,” Mr. Lucas said.
“I'm excited for him and I'm excited for us,” said Covington attorney Robert C. Cetrulo, head of the politically potent Northern Kentucky Right to Life anti-abortion group.
“He's taken the first step. But it's a long road.”
Mr. Cetrulo said that as Boone County judge-executive and during his years in public and community service in Northern Kentucky, Mr. Lucas was not active in the anti- abortion movement.
And Mr. Lucas supported President Clinton and Gov. Paul Patton, who have vetoed and opposed legislation designed to reduce abortions.
“I hope he's sincere and not like the typical politician. Cosmetics won't be enough. But we're always happy to have converts,” Mr. Cetrulo said.
Mr. Lucas has also joined the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of Democratic House members largely from the South who are viewed as moderate to conservative.
The group of 29 lawmakers bills itself as “pro growth, pro family” and said it will work on reforming Social Security, education and health care.
And Mr. Lucas, as well as Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning of Southgate, opposes Mr. Clinton's call to increase the tax on cigarettes to pay for treating smoking-related illnesses.
Mr. Lucas, who grew up on a Grant County tobacco and dairy farm, toured a tobacco warehouse in Maysville last week to talk to growers of Kentucky's No. 1 cash crop. “The proposed tax would be devastating to the burley industry,” Mr. Lucas said. “As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I will fight for our tobacco families.”
Republican consultant and fund-raiser Hayes Robertson of Alexandria said Mr. Lucas has thus far behaved as a conservative. “He has been as I would expect him to be since he represents a conservative voter base in the 4th District,” Mr. Robertson said.
“I hope it continues. But we will wait and see. We're all keeping an eye on his voting record,” he said.
Republicans were quick to jump on Mr. Lucas just a few hours after he was sworn into office Jan. 6, when he voted for House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, a Missouri Democrat many conservatives regard as one of the most liberal members of Congress.
But Mr. Lucas broke party ranks and voted with the GOP later that day on recommitting and funding the House managers prosecuting Mr. Clinton in his Senate impeachment trial. Mr. Lucas could face a political dilemma when the votes start coming. He could be in the position of satisfying his constituents but alienating himself from Democratic leadership.
“He's got to be careful,” said New York Republican political consultant Fred Wolf, a former staffer to Mr. Bunning. “If he goes off the reservation and votes with the Republicans there will be retributions from the Democrats.”
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