But a 527 formed to help his re-election continues to pull in big money from Cincinnati Republicans.

The Progress for America Voter Fund was founded to counteract pro-Kerry groups such as America Coming Together, the Media Fund and MoveOn.org - all 527s that have inundated Ohio with canvassers and anti-Bush ads.

Earlier this summer Cincinnati Reds owner Carl Lindner helped Progress for America with a $500,000 donation.

Now Cintas founder Richard T. Farmer has chipped in $100,000, Federal Election Commission records show. The longtime GOP donor gave Aug. 13. Farmer did not return calls, nor did Progress for America.

Indian Hill developer Robert C. Rhein also gave $100,000. Rhein said he would prefer 527s to be more regulated or outlawed. But they're not, so "it's our attempt to level the playing field."

Rhein had donated the maximum $2,000 to the Bush campaign and the maximum $25,000 to the Republican National Committee.

Bush is "the best thing for us, the country, my family, my businesses, and I hope he wins," Rhein said. "I'd hate to find out he'd lost by a little bit and I didn't do everything I could."

But even Rhein has limits. A Progress for America official actually asked him for $1 million.

"I love the president. My wife loves the president. But that is beyond my love," Rhein said.

Also donating $7,000 was fellow real estate developer Jon Blatt.

"I think (Bush) has been really good to Israel," said Blatt, explaining why he donated. "He's been great on terror."

So far the group is spending most of its money on TV ads in Wisconsin. But Rhein said he made one demand: that his money be used in Ohio.

"They told me they would spend it in Ohio. That was of concern to me," he said.

HOW TO STAY OFF THE FRONT PAGE: Last week, with Ohio getting visits from Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Sen. John Kerry and Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Mike DeWine had a Senate hearing in Washington. The subject? "Hospital Group Purchasing: How to Maintain Innovation and Cost Savings."

YPS FOR W: Young Professionals for Bush announced their Kentucky leaders last week. The state chairman is Derek Combs of Montgomery County. Kenton County Commissioner Adam Koenig of Covington and Josh Wice of Newport will lead Northern Kentucky's efforts.

FOR THIS I GOT LATVIA? The president also said he would nominate the chairwoman of his Kentucky fund raising, Cathy Bailey, as ambassador to Latvia. Bailey, a Louisville philanthropist, is a "Super Ranger," meaning she has raised more than $300,000 for the president.

THEY SAID IT: "Bush and Kerry both focused on the battleground state of Ohio. See, Bush knows no Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio. Of course, before Bush, no Republican had ever won the White House without winning the election." --Jay Leno on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

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E-mail cweiser@gannett.com