By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

FLORENCE - A bitter GOP Senate primary gives Republicans in two Northern Kentucky counties a look at the downside of political dominance.

The race between Sen. Dick Roeding and Rep. Charlie Walton for Roeding's 11th District Senate seat pits two veteran, popular Republican legislators.

CANDIDATES

RICHARD "DICK" ROEDING Position: Senator, 11th Senate District; Senate president pro tem Age: 73 Occupation: Retired pharmacist and lobbyist Residence: Lakeside Park Elected: 1990 Spouse: Nancy Did you know? Nephew J.R. Schrand is the Boone County attorney. CHARLIE WALTON Position: Representative, 66th House District; former GOP House whip Age: 57 Occupation: Principal, Florence Elementary Residence: Florence Elected: 1992 Spouse: Laurie Did you know? Was a standout football player at Dayton High School

The race also is driving deep divides among local Republican leaders, officials, donors and voters.

The seat covers all of Boone and Gallatin counties along with Kenton County's Dixie Highway suburbs.

Republicans who have stood side by side in beating Democrats now face choosing sides between two of their own.

State Farm agent Bob Boswell of Florence, a longtime GOP activist, supports Walton, who lives in Boone County.

"Charlie is a good friend and an excellent state representative," Boswell said. "He represents the values and the quality-of-life issues consistent with what we want in Boone County and Northern Kentucky. Charlie is not afraid to stand up for those things."

Fort Mitchell lawyer Michael Plummer backs Roeding, a fellow Kenton County resident.

"He's a popular, effective, tireless advocate for Northern Kentucky," said Plummer, a member of Fort Mitchell City Council. "Replacing him after his proven track record of loyalty, success and hard work wouldn't be prudent at this juncture."

Even the candidates' fellow legislators are picking one camp over the other.

Republican legislators Tom Kerr of Taylor Mill and Jon Draud of Edgewood support Walton, and appear in his TV advertising. Roeding was putting together his ads late last week, which could air this week on Cincinnati broadcast and Northern Kentucky cable channels.

Meanwhile, state Rep. Paul Marcotte, a Union Republican, supports Roeding.

Boone County Republican Party chairman Kenny Brown said a primary with two good candidates is a sign of party strength, not division.

"Boone County doesn't lose no matter who wins," Brown said. "The candidates are absolutely working hard, and both know how to get their people out to the polls. But one of the strengths of our party is that we will be able to come together after this is over."

There is no Democrat in the race, so the winner of the May 18 primary wins a four-year term in the Senate.

Walton and Roeding have near identical stances on most major issues. Both are staunch conservatives who tow the party line on fiscal and social issues, including opposition to tax increases and support for legislation curbing abortions.

According to the most recent campaign finance reports, Roeding has raised nearly $100,000 - about three times as much Walton's roughly $35,000.

But Walton is considered a proficient grass-roots organizer who has a county-wide network of campaign workers.

Persuading core supporters to turn out could be more effective in this race than TV ads. That's because less than 15 percent of the county's registered Republicans are expected to vote, says Deputy Boone County Clerk Rick Riddell.

Walton's Boone County ties may be an advantage.

Boone County has about 30,000 registered Republicans compared with nearly 3,000 in the sliver of Kenton County included in the 11th District. That includes precincts in Lakeside Park, Crescent Springs, Crestview Hills and Fort Mitchell.

Gallatin County has less than 1,000 Republican voters.

"Boone County is going to have 100,000 people by the end of this year. It will be the fourth-largest county in the state" behind Jefferson, Fayette and Kenton counties, Walton said. "We need a state Senator from Boone County who lives there, who works there, who knows the issues day in and day out."

Roeding said he has represented Boone County for most of his legislative career and knows the issues and the people in Kentucky's largest GOP-controlled county.

Roeding also said that while Walton holds a full-time job as an elementary school principal, "I'm a full-time state Senator, and Northern Kentucky needs a full-time state Senator."

Much of Roeding's campaign focuses on his position as Senate president pro tem, meaning he is the No. 2-ranking Republican in the GOP-controlled Senate behind President David Williams.

Roeding contends Northern Kentucky will lose a key leadership position if he is not re-elected.

"Northern Kentucky has grown because we work as a unit," Roeding said. "We prosper, we grow jobs ... and nobody in Northern Kentucky has ever been second in command in the Senate."

But Roeding has been inadequate in providing for the region, Walton said. For example, Roeding has not delivered legislation that could add millions for Boone County schools by changing the state's education funding formula.

"Along with leadership comes responsibility," Walton said. "I look at what we've done in Northern Kentucky, and I see a lot more we can do."

Roeding's supporters counter that Walton has accomplished little in more than a decade in Frankfort and that he voted against funding for the Northern Kentucky Convention Center.

And Walton drew criticism from Williams and from Gov. Ernie Fletcher for blaming Senate Republican leaders, including Roeding, for the General Assembly's budget impasse. Legislators left Frankfort in early April without passing a budget and are trying to negotiate a spending plan before a new fiscal year begins July 1.

"The (budget) process has always been the same," Walton said. "It's the personalities that have changed."

Roeding didn't care much for Walton's assessment and suggested he is out of the mainstream of Northern Kentucky's GOP. "I think we've got a maverick Republican there," Roeding said of Walton.

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com