When Republican Geoff Davis talks about his military training he sounds as if he could be discussing the campaign trail.

        “Food deprivation, sleep deprivation, extreme physical hardship, increasing levels of uncertainty, looking for something inside you to accomplish things you never thought were possible,” he said.

        Becoming a U.S. Army Ranger — which Mr. Davis accomplished after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy in 1981 — is certainly more physically demanding than running for office.

GEOFF DAVIS

Age: 42     Profession: owner, Capstone Inc., a 9-year-old management consulting firm in Hebron.     Family: Married, wife Pat. Six children.     Education: Bachelor of Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.; graduated 1981.     Military service: Served in the 82nd Airborne Division. Completed Army Ranger training and learned to fly assault helicopters.

        But if he runs next year against two-term U.S. Rep. Ken Lucas of Boone County, the only Democrat in Kentucky's eight-member federal delegation, he is going to need to be just as tough.

        “Stonewall Jackson said a man becomes what he determines to be,” Mr. Davis, 41, said during a 90-minute interview last week. “My wife and I feel very strongly that it's time to give something back to the community.”

        Mr. Davis said he is close to deciding about running for Congress to represent Northern Kentucky's vast 22-county 4th District.

        “I've seen the true benefit of the American dream and I think the issues coming up over the next several years call for a representative who is intensely engaged, high energy and an advocate for people's needs,” he said.

        The owner of a management consulting firm called Capstone Inc. that he runs out of his Hebron home, Mr. Davis has formed an exploratory committee, which allows potential candidates to raise money and test the waters for a political run.        

Largely unknown

        He won't say when he'll make a decision on the race. But Marc Wilson, a political consultant from Florence working with Mr. Davis, believes he will enter the race.

        “Ken Lucas may vote with the Republicans on some issues when they come to the floor, but he's not with the Republicans all of the time,” Mr. Wilson said.

        “People in this district want a Republican who will be voting their interests all of the time and not crossing the aisle on some issues to vote with the Democrats,” he said.

        Mr. Davis has never held or run for office. He has only recently become involved in the local political scene. He has lived in Kentucky less than a decade and is largely unknown even in the region's tightly knit GOP circles.

        By contrast, Mr. Lucas is not only an incumbent capable of raising $1 million or more for the race, he is a Northern Kentucky native, a longtime local business leader as a financial planner and a former local government officeholder and community activist.

        Still, the Democrats are taking Mr. Davis seriously, said Bob Doyle, Mr. Lucas' Washington political consultant and fund-raiser.

        “We've been saying all along with respect to Geoff Davis we expect a very tough race this year,” Mr. Doyle said. “He seems committed to the race, he has the fire, we're watching him and we're taking him seriously.

        Mr. Davis acknowledged he will put some of his own money into the race, but he won't say how much or confirm reports from Republican Party leaders that it could be up to $100,000.

        Boone County Sheriff Mike Helmig, a Republican, worked with Mr. Davis on the Boone County Law Enforcement Study Committee, which looked at the merger of the Boone County sheriff's and police departments. The merger is expected to take place this summer.

        “I was impressed with him,” Mr. Helmig said. “He's intelligent, has a strong military background and seems to have the ability to take a business approach and apply it to government.

        “As far as running against Ken Lucas, I'm sure it won't be easy,” said Mr. Helmig, a former Democrat. “I guess a lot depends on if the party gets behind him financially. But anybody can be beaten, and anybody can build their name recognition.”

        Mr. Davis, who has talked to national Republican Party leaders about entering the race, may be the only GOP candidate.

        State Sen. Katie Stine, a Fort Thomas Republican, took her name out of consideration two weeks ago.

        And the only other Republicans believed to be seriously looking at the race are Rep. Jon Draud, a Crestview Hills Republican, and Mike Wiley, a former radio talk show host from Florida now living in Florence. Mr. Draud may make a decision within the next week or so, he has told supporters.        

From Ranger to consultant

        Raised in and around Pittsburgh by a single mom — his parents divorced when he was a child — Mr. Davis joined the U.S. Army after graduating from high school.

        He eventually entered West Point, earned an engineering degree and then learned to fly attack helicopters. He also joined the Army Rangers, an elite leadership and fighting unit that puts its members through physically and mentally exhausting training.

        After honorable discharge from the military, he worked for defense contractors before starting his own consulting firm nine years ago. He moved to Northern Kentucky from near Louisville in 1998 and home schools his children.

        Mr. Davis is an avid reader of military and political history books and has traveled extensively.

Opposes gun control, abortion

        Despite his military background, Mr. Davis does not talk like a hawk, even though he served in the Middle East during a tense and dangerous period for Americans in the mid-1980s.

        “I believe in a strong defense, no doubt about that,” he said.

        “But most people don't realize what it's like to have to send young men into harm's way. If they did, they wouldn't be as supportive about sending in American troops to every hot spot in the world. That's a decision that has to be made very carefully.”

        Mr. Davis also said he opposed gun control and abortion; would push for lower taxes and the elimination of the so-called marriage penalty tax; supports the creation of private investment accounts for people paying into Social Security; and would try to bring more high-paying jobs to the 4th District.

        He would not, however, say anything negative about Mr. Lucas.

        “Seems like a pretty nice guy,” he said.
       

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