WILLIAMSTOWN — He survived the Australian outback, but can Rodger Bingham make it through a political campaign?

        Grant County's most famous resident, who gained national attention after appearing on last season's Survivor II: The Australian Outback, is serving as campaign chairman for district judge candidate James Purcell.

        Mr. Bingham described Mr. Purcell as a friend since high school who lives near his farm outside Crittenden.

        “He is a good family man and someone that can be trusted to do exactly what he says he will do,” Mr. Bingham said. “It would certainly be nice if all of our elected politicians had these character traits.

        “That is basically why I agreed to become involved. I hope that my involvement will help him in his campaign,” he said.

        Mr. Purcell is counting on it.

        Mr. Purcell, 53, has been the county attorney in Grant County for 19 years. Next year he plans to run for the district judge seat now held by Stan Billingsley of Carroll County, who is retiring.

        The seat covers district courts in Grant, Carroll and Owen counties. Mr. Purcell, a Democrat running for the nonpartisan seat, is the first candidate to announce for the race.

        “Having Rodger as my campaign manager should give me a little more visibility,” Mr. Purcell said Monday. “The way he came across in the show, as a good Christian man of strong character, dovetails with what you want to come across in a judicial campaign. And having Rodger associated with my campaign certainly won't hurt that.'

        Though he didn't win the Survivor contest, Mr. Bingham was one of the most popular members of the program. He took a year off from teaching industrial arts at Grant County High School to meet a large demand for personal appearances.

        Politicians have previously taken to Mr. Bingham.

        This year, U.S. Rep. Ken Lucas, a Boone County Democrat, had Mr. Bingham join him as he announced an education initiative. And Gov. Paul Patton invited Mr. Bingham to Frankfort to meet him last spring.

        Mr. Bingham said Monday he has been asked to run for state office, but he wouldn't identify which offices. He said he doesn't expect to ever run.

        “I would most certainly like being in a position whereby I could help people and perhaps better their lives,” he said. “However, I do not think I would like campaigning and everything associated with trying to get elected.”

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