Tristate TV viewers and radio listeners have been hearing a happy “Hoosier” crowing over the state's millions in gambling revenues, in a political ad called “Thanks, Kentucky!”

        One of the television spots, airing in markets across Kentucky to promote legalization of electronic gambling, features an enthusiastic man with an exaggerated accent. He sits in a stadium thanking Kentuckians for the schools and roads their gambling money has bought Indiana.

        The “Hoosier” tells Kentuckians not to support Kentucky House Bill 768 so that gaming will remain illegal and residents will continue to cross the river to Indiana.

        The commercial, paid for by a Kentucky group calling itself the Horse Industry Coalition and produced by National Media Inc. of Alexandria , Va., is part of a media campaign that includes radio and print ads.

        “The bill is proposing that we would be able to put video slots in the eight racetracks in the commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Majority Caucus Chairman James Callahan, D-Wilder.

        Alex Waldrop, president of Churchill Downs and a member of the Horse Industry Coalition, said the idea for the commercial stems from Kentuckians' exporting of hundreds of thousands of dollars to Indiana.

        “Kentuckians are already gambling,” he said. “Kentuckians decided they like it and they're leaving the state to do it.”

        Mr. Waldrop declined to comment on how much the coalition, which represents the eight racetracks in the state, paid for the advertisement or its airing in every major media market in Kentucky.

        Mr. Waldrop said he'd heard lots of people talking about the ad, produced by the company that did many of the George W. Bush for President spots in the last presidential campaign.

        “It's an effective commercial,” said auto body technician Tom Abdon, 31, of Walton. He said the ad caught his attention. “The guy is so goofy that it's almost irritating to watch.” Mr. Abdon said the accent is definitely exaggerated. “It sounds more like he's from West Virginia than Indiana.”

        Mr. Waldrop said the television and radio commercials were not intended to poke fun at Hoosiers.

        “It's not making fun of Indiana,” he said.

        “The person is intended to be enthusiastic and eye- catching.”

        John Kyle, former commissioner of Dearborn County, said he is not offended by the commercials. “They're good commercials. We all have accents,” he said.

        Mike Hayes, Ohio County, Ind., commissioner, said that county alone takes in $2.5 million to $3 million per year from the gambling boats. He is not in favor of the Kentucky gambling bill.

        “It affects our revenue,” he said.

        Mr. Callahan said that video slots are projected to bring the state more than $60 million in the first six months. More than $160 million would be collected in the second year; more than $350 mil lion the third year.

        Under the proposal, 40 percent of the money would go to education, 7 percent for prescription drugs, 7 percent for health services, 6 percent for the environment, 25 percent to capital construction and 15 percent to the general fund, Mr. Callahan said.

        “I would expect an Indiana person to be upset by that commercial because somebody is exposing what's been going on the past several years,” said Mr. Waldrop. “The point of the commercial is to keep the money at home.”

        The bill is being reviewed by the General Assembly. If the bill is passed, video slots would be placed in Kentucky racetracks in January 2003.

        The commercials will remain on the air only for a short time. The Kentucky General Assembly's legislative session ends in early April.

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