FRANKFORT — The only thing Democrats and Republicans agree on about last week's special state Senate election is that Democrat R.J. Palmer won and Republican Kelly Johnson lost.

        The hows, whys and wherefores of the campaign and its outcome are subject to broad interpretation.

        Initially, what it means is the Republicans will not build on their already tenuous 20-18 majority in the state Senate.

        Republicans have claimed their control of the state Senate has been the roadblock to any number of evil intentions by Democratic Gov. Paul Patton. GOP Chairwoman Ellen Williams said Republican senators are the only reasons Kentucky did not get a dime gas tax increase, huge General Fund tax increases and a state government run roughshod over the citizenry.

        Democrats insist the Republican Senate has meant no comprehensive garbage and litter control policy, continued unfair treatment of coal miners with black lung disease, no statewide policy to allow the safe and humane abandonment of unwanted children and numerous other initiatives.

        The GOP went full-bore on Johnson's campaign, virtually running it from its state headquarters, sending out truckloads of mail to voters in the six counties in the 28th District and making thousands of calls. The party even sent out one mailer with a picture of Johnson on one side and an endorsement letter from President Bush on the other.

        The Democrats said the GOP campaign was negative.

        Even before Johnson was nominated, staff members at the party headquarters enlisted the aid of a Kentucky State Police trooper to obtain information about Mr. Palmer's 1996 drunken driving case in Winchester. Even though the information would be available to anyone who walked into the Clark County District Court clerk's office, the GOP went through a connection in Hopkins County to avoid detection.

        The DUI case, which Mr. Palmer also confronted in his initial race in 1998, became a central feature of the GOP campaign. Television commercials attacked Mr. Palmer for voting for legislation that expanded the possibilities for local option elections for alcohol sales. Most of the district is dry.

        Other commercials questioned Mr. Palmer's commitment to religious values, by accusing him of voting against legislation to have the Ten Commandments posted in school and public buildings. Mr. Palmer said he voted against bills that the courts have repeatedly ruled are unconstitutional.

        Gov. Paul Patton said Republicans ran a “very distasteful race.”

        “I think it's a repudiation of the Republicans' false, negative campaigns,” Mr. Patton said. “They've done some bad ones, but this was about as bad as they've done.”

        Johnson said the commercials “were factual and not negative campaigning.”

        Mr. Palmer's television commercials emphasized his service during two terms in the state House.

        Mr. Palmer said it was the tone of the campaign that decided the outcome. “I think the issue between us was his decision to attack and our decision to talk about issues.”

        Republicans said before the election they were encouraged by voting patterns that showed it helping elect U.S. Rep. Ernie Fletcher and Mr. Bush in 2000. After the election, the GOP said it could not overcome Democratic registration advantage of nearly 3-1.

        Senate President Davie Williams, R-Burkesville, said the election outcome is meaningless for 2002, when the seat will again be up for election.

        The election next year will include more Republicans — including Mr. Fletcher — on the ballot to attract GOP votes, Mr. Williams said.

        “Finally, Democrats have learned how to win these races,” Mr. Patton said.

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