By Pat Crowley
Enquirer staff writer

RICHWOOD - Gov. Ernie Fletcher helped state Sen. Jack Westwood raise $30,000 Friday for his re-election campaign.

Fletcher, a Republican from Lexington, was the featured draw at a Boone County fund-raiser for Westwood, a retired teacher and Crescent Springs Republican seeking a third term in Kenton County's 23rd Senate District.

A statement from the Westwood campaign said those attending made a minimum contribution of $1,000 to the campaign.

Westwood said he was "honored that the governor would come up to Northern Kentucky to help my campaign."

Fletcher described Westwood as "very effective at getting things done for Northern Kentucky."

But Democrat Kathy Groob, a member of Fort Mitchell City Council who is challenging Westwood in November, said Westwood has not done enough for his district and Northern Kentucky.

Groob contends Westwood has not been able to secure badly needed state dollars for Northern Kentucky's public schools or Northern Kentucky University, which receives the lowest per-pupil allocation among the state's public universities.

"As an elected official serving in local government, I have had the experience of working with the political system to build consensus," Groob says on her campaign's Internet Web site.

"It's time for leadership and a stronger voice in Frankfort."

The 23rd Senate District covers Crescent Springs, Erlanger, Edgewood, Elsmere, Fort Wright, Villa Hills, Bromley, Ludlow, Fort Mitchell, Covington and Park Hills.

Fletcher also attended a fund-raiser for Westwood in April. And he has agreed to help raise money for statehouse candidate Mark Hayden, a Wilder Republican running against Democrat Dennis Keene in Campbell County's 67th House District race.

The date of the Hayden fund-raiser has not been released.

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E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com