By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

FLORENCE - Beautiful weekend weather beckoned hundreds of Northern Kentucky campaign volunteers to hit the streets to get in a final word for candidates on Tuesday's statewide ballot.

Workers scoured targeted neighborhoods, focusing mainly on getting supporters of the two gubernatorial candidates - Republican Ernie Fletcher and Democrat Ben Chandler - to the polls on Tuesday.

"The weather definitely made it easier to find volunteers," said Campbell County Commissioner Dave Otto, a Fort Thomas Democrat helping lead Chandler's Northern Kentucky campaign.

Otto estimated that the Democrats had about 100 volunteers out Saturday and Sunday walking the streets in predominantly Democratic neighborhoods of Newport, Dayton, Bellevue and other areas.

But Democrats were angered when some of the literature they left on doors in Dayton and Bellevue ended up stuffed in a Bellevue storm sewer. "Those kinds of last-minute dirty tricks are immature and uncalled for," Otto said.

During a campaign stop Thursday in Edgewood, Fletcher talked about the importance of getting volunteers out.

"We have a great air war," Fletcher said in a reference to his campaign's television commercials. "We also understand that a ground war is very important. The last 72 hours can change the dynamics substantially if you don't have people out working."

Saturday morning, more than 175 volunteers gathered at GOP campaign headquarters in Florence before fanning out across the region. Republicans are still bitter over the 1995 gubernatorial race, when Republican Larry Forgy lost in the final days to Democrat Paul Patton, who went on to serve two terms in Frankfort.

"We hit the streets, targeting Republican voters in every precinct," said Republican Michael Plummer, a member of Fort Mitchell City Council. "We have a covenant not to make the same mistakes we made in '95. We lost by seven votes in every precinct and have ourselves to blame for not defeating Patton.

"This time we're going to the registered GOP voters, the 'lazy' Republicans who usually turn out for presidential elections," Plummer said. "We're going full-court press until 6 p.m. Tuesday."

Two Northern Kentucky Republicans are seeking statewide office: Kenton County Commissioner Adam Koenig of Villa Hills is running for state treasurer against Democratic incumbent Jonathan Miller; and Park Hills lawyer Trey Grayson is running for secretary of state against Louisville Democrat Russ Maple.

Koenig spent Saturday in London, Ky., at a GOP rally that included a visit from President Bush. The president also stumped for Fletcher and the Republicans in Paducah.

On Sunday, Koenig was planning to attend a rally in Scott County.

"George Bush and Ernie Fletcher dominated the headlines this morning in papers across the state," Koenig said. "That's what we wanted the weekend before the election."

Chandler spent Sunday backtracking Bush's path by meeting with supporters in London and Paducah, trying to make sure Democrats weren't swayed by the president.

Both gubernatorial candidates will be in Northern Kentucky today. Chandler will begin the day at 5:30 a.m. at the Covington Firehouse on Scott Street.

Fletcher is scheduled to appear at a 6:45 p.m. rally at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

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E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com