By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - Northern Kentucky Democrats greeted Ben Chandler's local gubernatorial campaign announcement Monday with an outpouring of enthusiasm and support that has been uncommon recently in the region's once-dominant political party.

A boisterous crowd estimated at 150 packed a ballroom at the Radisson Hotel in Covington as Mr. Chandler, the state's two-term attorney general, told supporters he feels "at home" in Northern Kentucky.

"No other candidate in the upcoming race will know Northern Kentucky as well," said Mr. Chandler, whose wife, Jennifer, was at his side during the announcement. "I've been here. I feel at home in Northern Kentucky because I have spent a great deal of time here and I plan to spend even more time here when I'm governor."

The crowd was easily larger than the handful of supporters who showed up last week in Newport for the gubernatorial campaign announcement of House Speaker Jody Richards, a Bowling Green Democrat.

And in a rare upstaging of Republicans, the crowd Mr. Chandler drew was larger than the 30 or so people who turned out last week for the announcement by GOP gubernatorial candidate Ernie Fletcher, a Congressman from Lexington, and his running mate Hunter Bates, a former top aide to Kentucky U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell.

Northern Kentucky Democrats at the event said they are excited about Mr. Chandler and his running mate, Louisville businessman Charlie Owen, and their prospects for winning. But they are also tired of losing local, county, state and federal races to Republicans, which have dominated area politics over the last decade.

"We have a marvelous ticket that has solid experience and good ideas, and it's a great opportunity for us to win the primary in May and the general election next fall," said Covington lawyer Kathie Grisham, who will help coordinate the Chandler-Owen campaign in Northern Kentucky."

"Democrats in Northern Kentucky are real hungry right now," said Mark Guilfoyle, an Edgewood lawyer and Democratic Party strategist. "And Chandler-Owen is the ticket that everybody can rally behind."

So far, only Mr. Chandler and Mr. Richards are in the May Democratic primary. Lt. Gov. Steve Henry has said he also plans to enter the race. The filing deadline is in late January.

But Democrats here Monday said Mr. Chandler is the clear front-runner.

"People are here because they are excited," added Covington Democrat Jerry Stricker, a longtime party activist and contributor. "They feel, they know, that Ben Chandler and Charlie Owen can win this race."

Mr. Chandler and Mr. Owen announced their campaign last week in Mr. Chandler's hometown of Versailles in Woodford County outside of Frankfort.

Mr. Chandler said he made Monday's announcement - which Mr. Owen did not attend - to help rally his supporters in what has been a tough place for Democrats to win in recent years.

"Northern Kentucky is an economic engine in Kentucky," Mr. Chandler said. "This part of the state is so vital to the progress of our entire state ... and I would love to win this area. I think I have a very good chance to win here and we're going to work hard to make that happen."

Mr. Chandler did not mention specifics but indicated that Mr. Owen is willing to spend some of his own fortune on the race. Mr. Owen, who made millions of dollars in the cable television and real estate industries, spent an estimated $6 million of his own money in his 1998 U.S. Senate Democratic primary loss to Lexington Congressman Scotty Baesler.

"It's our intention not to be outspent in this governor's race," Mr. Chandler said.

Fort Mitchell lawyer Jim Redwine said Mr. Owen's inclusion on the ticket presents an equalizer to Mr. McConnell, whom Democrats expect to steer millions of dollars into the Fletcher-Bates ticket.

"Mitch McConnell won't be able to buy this race now," Mr. Redwine said.

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com