Thursday, November 04, 1999
Ky. Dems see win as rebound
But GOP says Patton vote won't hurt it
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FORT MITCHELL — Northern Kentucky Republicans say Democrat Paul Patton's easy victory and strong local showing in Tuesday's gubernatorial election won't halt the party's momentum or diminish what it has accom plished.
Democrats, not surprisingly, say it will.
With the votes counted and the results never in doubt, leaders from both major parties spent Wednesday analyzing the election and what impact it could have on future campaigns and the balance of political power locally and in Frankfort.
Leaders in the Democratic Party were obviously more upbeat about prospects for their party and agenda.
“It was a nasty day with bad weather and the turnout wasn't great, but Paul Patton still got a pretty good mandate,” said Kenton County Magistrate Steve Hoffman, a member of the Kenton County Democratic Executive Committee.
Mr. Patton finished with 62 percent of the vote, compared with 22 percent for Republican Peppy Martin and 15 percent for Reform Party candidate Gatewood Galbraith.
“You can't say we're dead anymore in Northern Kentucky,” said Mr. Hoffmann, re ferring to the recent gains in local politics by the GOP.
“Patton's win should really help us in Northern Kentucky.”
The win was especially welcome in Boone County, where Republicans recently took over as the county's majority party. Mr. Patton easily carried Boone County, as well as Kenton and Campbell counties, in Tuesday's election.
“The governor's win provides a tremendous boost to the Democratic Party statewide, here locally in Northern Kentucky and in Boone County,” said Kristi Nelson, a lawyer and chairwoman of the Boone County Democratic Party.
“I don't really find that Boone County is any different from any other part of the state,” she said. “The voters here recognize the job Paul Patton has done and that he is the governor to lead our state into the 21st century.”
Kenton County Republican Party Chairman Greg Shumate, a Villa Hills lawyer, said the results of the election were expected even by local Republicans.
But he doesn't think the poor showing by Ms. Martin will do any long-term damage to the Republican Party.
“This race was a foregone conclusion, but I don't see it as having any lingering impact because we all knew what was going to happen,” Mr. Shumate said.
“Don't forget that earlier this year the Republicans got a majority in the Senate, and we got it by two Democrats switching parties,” he said.
Ms. Nelson said she hopes that voters, elected officials and candidates see that a strong candidate can win an election no matter what party he belongs to.
“A Democrat who is a strong candidate can be elected in this county, so there is no need for candidates to switch parties just to try and get elected,” she said.
Mr. Shumate said the only prob lem for the Republicans has to do with money.
Because Mr. Patton did not have to worry about raising money for his own race he was able to help the Kentucky Democratic Party raise more than $1 million this fall, Mr. Shumate said.
“That money will go to other Democratic candidates who are running against Republicans,” he said.
Kentucky Republican Party Vice Chairman Damon Thayer said it's time for the party to move on.
“We need to put this election behind us and look forward to next year,” said Mr. Thayer of Crittenden in Grant County.
“We have a presidential election to win, five congressional seats to hold on to and another one to pick up, a Senate majority to protect and enhance and we have (Kentucky) House seats to retain and pick up.
“We have plenty on our plate,” he said.
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