HAMILTON — Democrats have been the political Rodney Dangerfields of Butler County and most parts of Greater Cincinnati in recent years. Respect and votes are hard to come by.

        In Butler County, they hold no countywide elected offices and usually struggle to mount even mildly competitive campaigns against their Republican opponents for county, state legislative and Congressional seats. There are three registered Republicans for every registered Democrat.

        In Warren and Clermont counties, Democrats are also shut out of countywide partisan elected offices.

        But lately, Butler County Democrats have been showing a little muscle.

        They led a grass-roots referendum that forced the Butler County commissioners to rescind a sales tax hike enacted without voter approval last December. Anticipating defeat, the commissioners recently gave up plans to place it on the November ballot.

        The tax increase would have raised $129 million over 10 years for major road construction and other projects.

        The victory showed the Butler County Democratic Party has enough life to influence important county issues — even without holding a county office.

        “It should remind people that we're still here and still working hard,” said Dan Gattermeyer, chairman of the Butler County Democratic Party and a former county prosecutor who lost his seat to Republican Robin Piper two years ago. “It shows that we do have a group of strong and dedicated Democratic people who believe in the values of the Democratic Party.”

        Dr. Jane Anderson, an adjunct political science professor at the University of Cincinnati, said the Butler County sales tax referendum is a good example of how minority parties can affect public spending and policies.

        “Groups that differ with the power structure can succeed on occasion,” said Dr. Anderson, who has run unsuccessfully as a Democratic candidate for Cincinnati City Council and for a seat in the Ohio House

        With the right issues, minority parties can win the support of political independents and even members of the majority party, Dr. Anderson said.

        The leaders of the Butler tax referendum drive, Democrats Catherine Stoker, a West Chester Township trustee, and Terry Bridge, said they received calls from Republicans asking to help circulate referendum petitions.

        “I don't think you can assume that the referendum was a case of the Democrats kicking back at Republicans,” Ms. Stoker said. “There were at least as many Republicans — if not more — circulating petitions as Democrats.”

        Todd Portune knows as well as any member of a minority party that nothing transcends party lines like taxes and government waste.

        He became the first Democratic Hamilton County commissioner in three decades when in November of 2000 he rode a wave of taxpayer outrage over the Paul Brown Stadium deal and defeated Republican incumbent Bob Bedinghaus. Pocketbook issues, like sales tax increases, can unite Republicans, Democrats and independents, he said.

        “It really goes beyond partisan consideration,” he said. “It goes to good government. The majority of voters out there want good government. If they feel they're not getting it, they'll take out their anger on their office-holder, whether that person is in their political party or not.”

        Mr. Bridge sees the referendum in Butler County as a victory over one-party government.

        “County offices all being held by one party is unhealthy,” he said.

        Butler County Commissioner Chuck Furmon, a Republican, disputes the view that Democrats leading the referendum were political underdogs championing taxpayers' interests. He said their main motive was getting publicity to boost their political careers.

        In recent years, Ms. Stoker and Mr. Bridge had run unsuccessfully for the commission.

        “It was a few people who just wanted to get their names in the papers,” Mr. Furmon said. “We were pushing the sales tax increase for more jobs and economic development. These people put their self-interests over the future of Butler County.”

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