Louisville businessman Charlie Owen, a former Congressional candidate, has become the first Democrat to formally declare for the 2003 gubernatorial race.

        Mr. Owen, 61, a multimillionaire who made a fortune in cable television and real estate development, made the declaration during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.

Owen

        Mr. Owen carried all three Northern Kentucky counties in the 1998 Democratic Senate primary, spending nearly $7 million of his own money in the race.

        “I started my career in public service and I want to end it in public service,” said Mr. Owen, a lawyer who worked as a federal prosecutor for 11 years early in his career and later served three governors as head of the former Kentucky Crime Commission.

        “This state has enormous challenges and opportunities,” he said. “Democrats have traditionally won (the governor's) race in this state. So if you speak to the problems that really exist, offer real solutions and speak with ideas instead of rhetoric, then a Democrat can and will win. And I'm going to be that Democrat.”

        Several other Democrats are expected to seek the party's nomination. They include Attorney General Ben Chandler, Lt. Gov. Steve Henry and House Speaker Jody Richards.

        Crit Luallen, Cabinet Secretary for Gov. Paul Patton, and Agriculture Secretary Bill Ray Smith are also considering running. Former Gov. Brereton Jones took his name out of consideration last month. In 1994 he lost the Democratic primary for the 3rd District U.S. House seat in Louisville to former Congressman Mike Ward. In 1998, he finished second in a six-way U.S. Senate Democratic primary.

        Mr. Owen said his platform will include:

        • Lowering the costs of and improving access to health care.

        • Including a prescription drug benefit for senior citizens.

        • Improving the literacy, high school graduation and college graduation rates in Kentucky.

        • Improving the economy by increasing worker training programs and attracting new industries.

        “Kentucky has 38,000 state employees and a (two-year) budget of $17.5 billion,” Mr. Owen said. “I feel I have the serious skills and background to effectively run this state, and that's what I'm going to offer the voters.”

Photographer's sentence: 2
County has less cash for bills
Waagner tries to make abortion part of defense
Coffee house glorifies God
Evendale citizens to file lawsuit
Old Americana adding 10 rides, lower prices
Police kidnapping case backed by two
School levy deadline near in Norwood
Tristate A.M. Report
Willie clears the air at City Hall
Wyoming rejects helmet law
BRONSON: Packin' heat
HOWARD: Some Good News
SAMPLES: Private property
SMITH AMOS: Fond farewell
Brown outspends Turner for Congress
New business center developing
Heimlich backs law
Village bought out from beneath cloud
Businessman to run for governor
Covington defends tear down of camp
Kentucky News Briefs
Newport, NAACP to meet
Panel: Court reporting could improve
Pewee puts cap on height of towers
Robert Stephens mourned
Sewage-treatment plant dispute remains unresolved
Shooting range plan draws fire
Technical college receives land gift