By Patrick Crowley
Enquirer staff writer

ERLANGER - It's not exactly prime time, but Northern Kentucky Congressional candidate Geoff Davis will deliver a televised speech Monday at the Republican National Convention in New York.

Davis, a Boone County Republican running in the 4th Congressional District against Democrat Nick Clooney, will give a short speech shortly after the 10:30 a.m. opening of the convention, which runs through Thursday.

Davis is scheduled to "deliver his brief speech at some point between 11:36 a.m. and 12:06 p.m. on Monday," according to an advisory released Saturday by Davis' campaign headquarters in Erlanger.

The speech will be carried live on C-SPAN, the government affairs cable channel.

"In the speech Davis will mention his support for lower taxes, limiting frivolous lawsuits, improving border security, and ensuring our troops have the tools they need to win the war on terror," according to a statement Saturday from the Davis campaign.

Davis also will serve on the escort committee that will accompany House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., to the stage to open the convention just after 10:30 a.m. today. Later he will attend a luncheon hosted by U.S. Rep. Tom Reynolds, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

"To be invited as one of only a handful of congressional candidates to address the national convention is a huge honor," Boone County GOP Chairman Ken Brown said in a statement Saturday. "Geoff Davis is already showing that he's going to be a star in Congress and a leader in our party."

Bob Doyle, a Washington political strategist advising Clooney, said he isn't surprised Davis was tapped to speak at the convention "because at every turn Geoff Davis wants to be associated with national Republican leadership."

"The Clooney campaign really understands that people in Northern Kentucky want their congressman to be an independent guy," Doyle said. "Geoff Davis is going to owe (Republican) leadership something for all of this. But voters want someone who will do what's best for the district first, and keep politics secondary."

Hastert is coming to Kentucky Sept. 16 to attend a Davis fund-raiser in Ashland. The 24-county district stretches from the West Virginia state line to near Louisville and includes all of Northern Kentucky.

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E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com