By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer

INDEPENDENCE - As a teen-ager, third-generation politician Chris Moriconi often sat on the front porch discussing city issues with his grandmother, the late Crescent Springs Mayor Marcella Fieger.

Later, he helped his mother, Crescent Springs Mayor Claire Moriconi, campaign for city office by erecting signs and going door to door on her behalf.

Now Mr. Moriconi and his mother may be making some history of their own.

On Election Night, the 36-year-old Independence mayor-elect and his mother celebrated what may be the first mother-son mayor combination in Kenton County.

Mr. Moriconi defeated veteran Independence politician Isaac "Ike'' Gabbard for mayor on Tuesday. His 65-year-old mother defeated George Stewart, former Crescent Springs mayor and city administrator, in her bid for a second four-year term as mayor of her native city.

"There's maybe been a mother on council and a son as mayor or vice-versa. But I don't know of a mother and son elected mayor in Kenton County the same year," Mrs. Moriconi said.

"If it is a first for Kenton County, it's pretty neat," her son added.

Another relative, Chuck Fieger III, lost his first political race on Tuesday to Villa Hills Mayor Mike Sadouskas. Mr. Fieger is Claire Moriconi's nephew and Chris Moriconi's cousin.

"Since high school, I've helped my mom campaign and put up signs," Mr. Moriconi said. "She showed me the value of hard work and a lot of door-to-door (campaigning). Direct mail and signs alone will not win you an election. People really appreciate the fact that you take the time to come to their door and talk to them."

On Tuesday night, the Moriconi mother and son joined dozens of friends and family members at an Independence restaurant to celebrate their joint victories.

Mr. Moriconi used the occasion to remember his Uncle Chris, a Lakeside Park resident who is undergoing treatment for a rare blood disease at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

"Just five minutes after I dedicated my victory to my godfather, Chris, who I'm named after, he called me from his hospital bed and asked, `How did you do?' his nephew said. "I told him, `I won. I won.' It was really special to hear from him."

Mrs. Moriconi, who's served in Crescent Springs city government off and on for 13 years, said it's hard to remember a time when she or a relative wasn't involved in politics.

"I don't think it's a special calling," she said. "That's just the way it was in our family. You took an interest in your community and trying to make it better."

Her son said he became interested in politics largely through long talks on his late grandmother's front porch about everything from city issues to national current events.

When Mr. Moriconi, attracted by the affordable housing in Independence, moved his family there a few years ago, he decided that he, too, wanted to give something back to his new hometown, as two generations before him had done.

One of his top goals is getting construction under way by early next year on a new municipal building that will house Independence police and administrative offices under one roof.

While Mr. Moriconi's 3-year-old daughter, Macy, has not yet shown an interest in politics, his 7-year-old son, Chase, has served notice that he may continue the family business into a fourth generation.

"My son's already calling himself the junior mayor, so I'm going to get him a T-shirt that says, "Junior Mayor," said the Independence mayor-elect.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com