Did you happen to catch Monday night's debate among Republicans running in the Fourth Congressional District Republican primary?

Well, "businessman Geoff Davis was the clear winner" over Kevin Murphy and John Kelly King, according to a press release the Davis campaign issued just about an hour after the debate.

The release, by the way, carried the headline "Murphy Stumbles in Debate."

Not true. I asked the questions for the debate televised by KET in Lexington and not once did Murphy fall down.

But Murphy did capture the "momentum" in the race as Davis was "forced on defense in debate," says a press release from Murphy's camp.

Not only that, but Davis "resorted to finger-pointing and blame-shifting" and was "on the ropes" for his "inexcusable participation in a money-laundering scheme involving a wealthy Cincinnati business executive," Murphy handler Jay Townsend sneered in the release.

Townsend apparently forget to use the word "allegedly" in relation to charges that Davis and one of his contributors cooked up a plan to funnel money into the Davis campaign fund. Even Murphy said during the debate that Davis is "innocent until proven guilty."

If your head isn't spinning from the post-debate spin, here are a couple of the words and phrases sprinkled throughout the press releases: "cohort," "ethical clouds," "Osama bin Laden," "denied," "admitted," "claimed," "Ten Commandments," "horse race," "Jerry Falwell," "formidable," "well-funded," "dodged" and "George Clooney."

So what really happened? Here's my spin.

Davis has improved as a debater. Yet there is no way the allegations about his fund-raising go away. If Davis wins the primary, his camp had better dig in for a long fight on that topic.

Murphy had a chance to really knock Davis around during the debate, but he let the opportunity slip away. Not only was he too timid, but also he never let his personality shine. If Murphy had displayed the warmth, passion and humor he does when on the stump or when talking to friends, he wins the debate hands down.

And Murphy may have bigger problems.

Questions about Davis' fund-raising have handed Murphy a legitimate issue to go on the attack with just three weeks before the primary. But it's not clear if he'll have the money to let the voters know about the controversy.

As for King, he isn't spending much money so he's going to have a tough time winning the primary. But he performed well for a first debate, and could have a bright future in local politics.

Of course, this is all debatable.

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com. Crowley interviews Fourth Congressional District candidate Kevin Murphy this week on ICN6's "On the Record," which is broadcast daily on Insight Communications Channel 6.