Sunday, March 28, 1999
Democrats envy GOP youth wave
New Republicans put party on top
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — Some longtime Kenton County Democratic leaders, looking for ways to revitalize what once was the county's dominant political force, are acknowledging they need to attract younger people to the party.
Democrats, who held their annual Jackson Day Dinner on Saturday night, are begrudgingly and belatedly admitting they've been outflanked by the Republicans when it comes to enticing and involving the 20-40 crowd in party activities.
“You look over at the Republicans and you see a lot of young, energetic people taking key positions and running for office,” said Maxine Glenn, 60, a veteran Democratic Party activist from Erlanger.
“We need some energetic people like that to get involved with the Democrats. We're getting older and can't do the legwork like we used to, and that's one of the reasons the Republicans have been beating us,” she said.
Added Democrat Bernie Moorman, 60, a former Kenton County commissioner and Covington mayor, “We have to reach out and bring in new people who truly care about the community and its people, and not just those who want to hold office for personal reasons.”
The attitude is a marked change from just three years ago, when an old-guard faction of the Kenton County Democratic Executive Committee used its clout to turn away a group of younger Democrats who wanted to stay on or join the committee.
“They ran a lot of the young guys off the committee,” said Kenton County Magistrate Steve Hoffman, 40, who was among the younger members who were voted off the committee.
Mr. Hoffman, of Park Hills, has since rejoined the committee, but only because some other members left the group.
“I came back. But what happened drove some people away,” he said. “We need to start going young. The older members are still very valuable with their experience and knowledge, but we need the mix of all ages.”
Democrats aren't suggesting that simply adding some younger members would change the political tides in Kenton County, where Republicans have overrun Democrats in recent years to take over the courthouse and the majority of the county's legislative seats while consistently winning the county for state and federal candidates.
Several factors have contributed to the Republicans' strength in Kenton County, including the growing affluence of the county; the number of people moving into the area who are registering with the GOP; the conservative nature of Northern Kentucky; and the rise of strong local, state and national Republican candidates.
The county Republican Party has used its newfound political muscle to aggressively recruit and involve 20- and 30-something members.
“The Republicans have reached out to young people,” said Edgewood City Council member John Middleton, 29. “We've brought some new blood on, and that provides us a very good balance on the Republican executive committee and in the party.”
Mr. Middleton is among a group of young, Republican city councilmen active in party politics. Others include Dave Hatter, 30, of Fort Wright and Villa Hills Councilman Steve Kramer, 23.
The Republicans also helped elect Adam Koenig, 28, a Villa Hills Republican and former city councilman, to the Kenton County Fiscal Court last fall.
“It feeds off of itself,” said Greg Shumate, 37, chairman of the Kenton County Republican Executive Committee.
“You get a younger person in a leadership role or on a committee within the party and you're naturally going to attract younger people,” he said.
The Republicans have been much more open to younger people than the Democrats, Mr. Shumate contended.
“In Northern Kentucky and Kenton County, the Democratic Party has been a closed-door environment,” Mr. Shumate said. “You had to be one of the insiders, one of the good ol' boys to participate.”
Most Democrats bristle at that charge, but Ms. Glenn agrees.
“We need to be more open in the Democratic Party,” she said. “We don't have to be such a tight-knit group.”
But young people have not totally abandoned the Democrats. Matt Huelsmann, son of Kenton County Democratic Party Chairwoman Shirley Huelsmann, is active on the executive committee and in party politics.
Others who have been involved include Crestview Hills attorney Dave Kramer, Covington attorney Jim Redwine, Covington City Commissioner Jim Eggemeier, television news producer Glenn McEntyre, lawyer Michelle Keller of Crescent Springs and, until he became a district judge last year, Doug Grothaus of Covington.
“Voters like to see a new face,” said John Fortner, vice chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee. “We need to get some of those younger candidates, and we need to understand that maybe it will take a time or two to run before somebody gets elected. But that just being on the ballot builds name recognition and helps build the party.”
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