ERLANGER — President Bush has given support, though somewhat tepid, to Northern Kentucky Republican Congressional candidate Geoff Davis of Boone County.

        In a statement released at the urging of the Davis campaign, President Bush threw his support to the GOP candidate. But he also made sure to mention his relationship with incumbent Democratic Congressman Ken Lucas, who often votes in favor of the Bush administration's agenda.

        “The president enjoys strong working relations with members of both parties of Congress,” said Jeanie Mamo, a White House spokeswoman. “As leader of the party, he supports the Republican nominee, Geoff Davis, in Kentucky's Fourth District.”

        The curt statement from Mr. Bush — a popular political figure in Northern Kentucky who in 2000 carried the Fourth District by 16 points over Al Gore — was met with glee at Davis headquarters and by GOP leaders.

        But it was scoffed at by the Lucas camp.

        “I'm certainly gratified President Bush is supporting our campaign,” Mr. Davis said Tuesday. “The president's support of our campaign is consistent with his legislative agenda and consistent with the needs of the people in the Fourth District.

        “As a big fan of the president of the United States long before I got into this, I'm humbled and honored he is doing this,” Mr. Davis said.

        “This is huge,” said Kentucky GOP Vice Chairman Damon Thayer. “Obviously, the White House looked at this and said, "We can win this.' Ken Lucas tries to attach himself to the president, but you can't have it both ways. He's a Democrat, he votes for (Missouri Democrat) Dick Gephardt for speaker of the House, he's in the party of Bill Clinton and Al Gore. That's why the Teamsters endorsed Geoff Davis. The Democrats are coming over because they never know where Lucas is going to be.”

        Mr. Lucas' handlers were far less impressed with the president's statement, saying it falls far short of the kind of endorsement Mr. Bush is giving other Republican congressional candidates.

        “When you look at what the president is doing for top-tier candidates across the country, what he did for Geoff Davis is almost like kissing your sister,” said Bob Doyle, Mr. Lucas' Washington-based political consultant and fund-raiser.

        “The president is appearing in ads for other Republican candidates, he's holding fund-raisers in their home states and in Washington for them,” Mr. Doyle said. Mr. Doyle also pointed out that Vice President Dick Cheney has stumped for Cincinnati Rep. Rob Portman and for Louisville Rep. Ann Northup. But he has not appeared for Mr. Davis and has not indicated he will.

        “Politics is politics, and we view (the statement) as more politics,” Mr. Doyle said. “What is real is Ken Lucas' friendship and working relationship with The White House.”

        The Lucas campaign quickly provided letters Mr. Bush has written to Mr. Lucas, thanking the two-term congressman from Boone County for his votes on legislation dealing with Medicare prescription drug benefits and the president's tax cut of last year.

        Presidents have not played a significant role in Fourth District politics in the five years Mr. Lucas has served in Congress.

        During his first two elections, in 1998 and 2000, Mr. Lucas actually steered clear of Bill Clinton, a Democrat largely reviled by the region's conservative voters.

        And because of differences he claimed to have with Mr. Gore over abortion, gun control and other issues, Mr. Lucas did not attend the 2000 Democratic National Convention, even though he was a delegate and is the only Democrat in Kentucky's Washington congressional delegation.

        Earlier this year the White House did make mention of the Fourth District in a political analysis prepared by Karl Rove, President Bush's top political adviser. In the briefing, uncovered by the media after it was left at a Washington print shop, cited Mr. Lucas as one of the 10 most vulnerable House Democrats nationwide.

        Overall, endorsements don't carry as much weight with voters as candidates would like, said Amy Walter, who covers House races for The Cook Report, a Washington-based political newsletter.

        “The real test of support will be financially, so we'll see if the Republican National Committee comes up with some money for Geoff Davis,” she said.

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