The gubernatorial race is over, Republican Ernie Fletcher is preparing to move into the governor's mansion, and another election year looms. Seems like a good time to ask some tough political questions.

• Fletcher ran a wildly successful campaign - beating Democrat Ben Chandler by 10 points - on a platform that vast change was needed in Frankfort and that the time had come to clean house and run the "good ol' boys" out of town. So wasn't it surprising when he stocked his transition team with a bunch of Frankfort lobbyists? And shouldn't there be a concern that the lobbyists will try to stock the administration with individuals favorable to the industries they represent? Does the phrase "fox in the hen house" ring any warning bells?

• Fletcher got a huge Election Day boost from Northern Kentucky, easily carrying all the counties in the region. During and after the campaign, he promised not to forget the region or leave locals out of the decision-making process. So should Republicans feel snubbed that a transition team of more than 100 includes only four Northern Kentuckians: 4th District GOP chairman Marcus Carey; lawyer and lobbyist Lawson Walker of Crescent Springs; Boone County Deputy Administrator John Stanton; and Walton insurance agent Paul Johnson.

• Maybe Fletcher will reward his local loyalists with jobs. So who on this list might end up in Frankfort? Kenton County Judge-executive Dick Murgatroyd? Boone County Judge-executive Gary Moore? Stanton? Kenton County Deputy County Administrator Scott Kimmich? Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney Bill Crockett? Boone County GOP Executive Committee member Jay Hall? State Sen. Katie Stine of Fort Thomas? Assistant Kenton County Attorney Jeff Middendorf? State Sen. Jack Westwood of Crescent Springs? GOP fund-raiser Dick Knock of Richwood?

• And if Murgatroyd goes south, who is appointed to his office? Kimmich? GOP strategist Rick Robinson of Fort Mitchell? Kenton County Attorney Garry Edmondson? Kenton County Commissioner Dan Humpert?

• How about Moore, who is likely to get his seat if he moves downstate? Boone County Commissioner Charlie Kenner? County Sheriff Mike Helmig?

• Let's probe the only major local race from the Nov. 4 election, the contest for Kenton County property value administrator (PVA) won by 209 votes by Democrat Merrick Krey. A majority of the Kenton County GOP Executive Committee tapped Kevin Black, the son of county commissioner Barbara Black, to run against Krey in the special election. The came despite the fact that Black had no experience dealing with real estate valuations. Should the committee have chosen a candidate with at least some real estate experience, such as Rodney Eldridge, a property title examiner with 25 years on the job?

• Why did Republicans gut state Sen. Jack Westwood's district of the heavily GOP areas of Taylor Mill and Independence? Kenton County Republican leaders -fresh off their very successful voter turnout drive for Fletcher - are smug and cocky about the challenge to Westwood in next year's statehouse election. They say Democrat and former Republican Kathy Groob of Fort Mitchell doesn't stand a chance against Westwood, who to his credit is taking the race seriously and not boasting like some of the party's leaders. But a quick analysis of voting trends indicates a Democrat can do well in the newly drawn Senate district. Krey carried by it 1,300 votes.

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com.