Wednesday, January 26, 2000
Roeding gets surprise challenge
Boone's Hay seeks GOP nod
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FRANKFORT — State Senate President Pro Tem Dick Roeding, a Kenton County Republican who party leaders predicted would run unopposed for re-election this year, drew a surprise primary challenge Tuesday from Boone County Commissioner Robert Hay.
Two Democrats also filed for Mr. Roeding's 11th District seat, which includes all of Boone County and the heavily Republican suburbs along Dix ie Highway in northern Kenton County.
The Democrats are John Stephenson of Fort Mitchell, the former state superintendent of public instruction, and lawyer Ed Kagin of Union, who hails from the liberal wing of the party.
Other campaign filings on Tuesday, the deadline for the 2000 election, included:
• Republican Scott Tooley of Simpsonville in Shelby County, who will run in the 4th District congressional GOP primary against Don Bell of Oldham County and Roger Thoney of Highland Heights. Mr. Tooley, a former staff member of U.S. Rep. Chris Cox of California, was recruited into the race by the Republican National Committee, according to GOP sources in Northern Kentucky.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Ken Lucas of Boone County will run unopposed in the Democratic primary.
• Democrat Jeb Holbrook, a lawyer and a member of Fort Mitchell City Council, who will challenge Rep. Jon Draud, a first-term Republican from Crestview Hills.
Democrat Jaimie Henson of Independence filed earlier to run against Republican Sen. Jack Westwood of Erlanger.
Most of the talk among pols here and in Northern Kentucky was about the stunning news of Mr. Hay's challenge to Mr. Roeding.
“I'm surprised and disappointed,” Mr. Roeding said Tuesday on the Senate floor. “But I'm ready to run. I've raised almost $75,000, but frankly I just can't understand where this is coming from.”
GOP leaders were shocked that Mr. Hay, a former Florence City Councilman elected to Boone County Fiscal Court in 1998, would wage an intraparty challenge to Mr. Roeding, a popular figure.
“I can't believe somebody is challenging Dick Roeding, who has done so much for the Republican Party and Northern Kentucky,” said Paula Miller of Fort Mitchell, a GOP campaign strategist and fund-raiser.
Mr. Hay comes from the right wing of the party. A self-proclaimed social conservative, Mr. Hay is opposed to abortion and said that issue is one of the reasons he decided to challenge Mr. Roeding in the May 23 primary.
A pharmacist and the father of six children ages 2-15, Mr. Hay, 39, said he has been told — but he refused to say by whom — that the Republican Senate leadership to which Mr. Roeding belongs will not be pushing hard enough in the session to pass anti-abortion legislation.
“We need more of a warrior for social conservative causes,” Mr. Hay said.
Mr. Roeding called that statement “laughable.”
“I've done as much for the pro-life movement as any legislator in Frankfort, and will continue to do so,” said Mr. Roeding, who has been consistently supported by the anti-abortion group Northern Kentucky Right to Life during his 10 years in Frankfort.
Mr. Hay said he was also motivated to file for the race to give Republicans a choice and to have a Boone County resident in the race.
He then hinted that Mr. Roeding, 69, can no longer relate to voters who have families and who hold full-time jobs. Mr. Roeding's children are grown, and he is a retired lobbyist and pharmacist.
“Perhaps the voters with young families may well like to choose someone in the Senate who has a young family as well,” Mr. Hay said.
Mr. Roeding was clearly angered by Mr. Hay's comments. “What he said is a slap in the face to anybody over 60,” Mr. Roeding said.
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