By Carl Weiser
Enquirer Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Rep. Ken Lucas has reprimanded his own party for electing a San Francisco liberal to lead House Democrats.

"It's very discouraging to me," said Mr. Lucas, a conservative "Blue Dog" Democrat who had hoped the party would move to the center after last week's dismal election.

"The center is where it is in this country," the Democrat from Union said. "We need to have a more moderate to conservative agenda."

Instead, by a 177-29 vote, House Democrats elected an antigun, abortion-rights supporter who voted against giving President Bush authority to use force in Iraq.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi will be the first woman to lead either party in Congress. But she won't be invited to campaign in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, Mr. Lucas said.

The former Boone County Judge-executive now finds himself even more of a minority within a minority. Republicans expanded their numbers in the House, and a liberal now commands his party.

In an interview Thursday, Mr. Lucas also:

Ruled out runs for governor or for U.S. Senate against Sen. Jim Bunning.

Said the Kentucky Democratic Party "needs to go back to the drawing board and start from scratch. It's in disarray at this time."

Left a tiny bit of wiggle room about whether he would run for re-election in 2004, which would violate a pledge he signed to serve only three terms.

"I signed a term-limits pledge. That's my plan," said Mr. Lucas, 69, who was the oldest member of his House freshman class. Pressed, he simply repeated, "That's the plan."

Reiterated he will not switch parties, although Republicans lobby him all the time.

The perception that the party has decided to move to the left, elevating a liberal, will hurt the Democrats, he predicted. Mr. Lucas had supported the moderate protest candidate, Rep. Harold Ford of Tennessee, for party leader.

"The people you see on the talk shows are all the people to the left side of the party," he said. "That's not good for the Democratic Party."

Ms. Pelosi has pledged to work with both wings of the Democratic Party and named a more conservative Democrat, Rep. John Spratt, as her assistant minority leader.

She gave out more than $1 million to Democratic candidates, including $10,000 to Mr. Lucas' campaign, during the most recent election, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Mr. Lucas said Ms. Pelosi might actually move the party to the middle, but the perception of her is as a San Francisco liberal, which Republicans are happy to play up.

Chairman Ed Moore of the Boone County Republican Party predicted Ms. Pelosi's ascension will alienate many conservative Democrats in Northern Kentucky. Between that and Mr. Lucas' expected retirement, the GOP should be able to win the House seat in 2004, he said. Even Mr. Lucas agreed it would be difficult to keep the seat Democratic without him.

Mr. Lucas eked out a 51 percent to 48 percent victory Nov. 5 over Republican Geoff Davis in the congressional district that covers all or parts of two dozen counties at the top of Kentucky. President Bush won the district by 24 percentage points.

Both Mr. Davis and another Republican, Hunter Bates, former top aide to Sen. Mitch McConnell, have emerged as potential Republican challengers in 2004. Mr. Lucas signed a pledge when he first ran in 1998 promising to serve only three terms.

A spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, whose job is to win House seats for Democrats, said the committee was wrapping up this year's elections before it focuses on 2004.

"Ken Lucas is a great member. He served his constituents well," spokeswoman Jenny Backus said.

A term-limit pledge hasn't stopped other members from running for re-election in the past.

Spokeswoman Stacie Rumenap of U.S. Term Limits, whose pledge Mr. Lucas signed in April 1998, said the group has had no indication Mr. Lucas would break his pledge.

Email cweiser@gns.gannett.com