Ken Lucas
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Ray "Ken" Lucas (born August 22, 1933) is an American politician
. Lucas, a Democrat
, was a U.S. Representative
from Kentucky's 4th congressional district
from 1999 until 2005.
Lucas did not run for reelection in 2004, honoring a promise to serve only three terms. However, he made a bid for his old congressional seat in 2006 against Geoff Davis
, the Republican
who won the seat in 2004. Lucas narrowly defeated Davis in 2002, even as popular Republican Senator
Mitch McConnell
breezed to a fourth term in a big midterm cycle for Republicans.
On February 2, 2009, he was appointed as Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs by Governor Steve Beshear
.
and grew up on a dairy and tobacco farm in Grant County
. He attended the University of Kentucky
, graduating in 1955. Lucas received his MBA from Xavier University
in 1970. He served for 12 years in the Air Force
, later serving in the Air National Guard and retiring as a Major
. He then became a certified financial planner
.
From 1967 to 1974, Lucas was a city councilman in Florence
; after this, he became a county commissioner in Boone County
until 1982. In 1992, he was elected county judge-executive of Boone County, and in 1998 he ran successfully for the House.
Lucas' 1998 victory came as something of a surprise even though Democrats have a substantial majority in registration. The influence of the heavily Republican Cincinnati suburbs had kept the district in Republican hands for 32 years, and it is widely considered to be the most Republican district in Kentucky. His victory was even more remarkable since six-term incumbent Jim Bunning
made a successful run for the Senate in 1998, winning largely by winning his old district by a margin that Democrat Scotty Baesler
couldn't make up in the rest of the state.
Lucas was reelected in 2000 even as the district gave George W. Bush
his largest victory margin in the state (the territory currently in the district has not supported a Democrat for President
since 1964).
Lucas was one of the most conservative
Democrats in the House, as reflected by National Journal rankings. He also had a lifetime American Conservative Union
rating of 72, the highest of any Democrat in the 108th Congress
. However, he shared most Democrats' wariness about privatizing Social Security
. He was asked several times to switch parties
and become a Republican.
Lucas heavily recruited Cincinnati television personality Nick Clooney
to run against Davis in his stead in 2004, but Davis defeated Clooney 55% to 45%. A Christian
, Lucas and his wife Mary have five children.
In a press release, Lucas slammed Davis for being too loyal to the Republican leadership at the 4th District's expense. He also charged that Davis "has done nothing" to distance himself from the scandals that currently surround House Republicans.
Most pundits had written off the 4th as a Republican lock for 2006, but Lucas' entry instantly turned the race from a cakewalk for Davis into one of the hottest in the campaign cycle, even though the 4th is considered the most Republican district in Kentucky. Despite a substantial Democratic advantage in voter registration, the influence of the heavily Republican Cincinnati suburbs kept the district in Republican hands from 1967 until Lucas won the seat in 1998. In August Congressional Quarterly
rated this race as "Lean Republican." In late July the Washington Post also rated the race as a toss-up. A SurveyUSA poll released on July 25, 2006 showed Lucas leading 50% to 41%, although Davis has a decisive lead in fundraising.
Lucas ended up losing to Davis by nine points: 43% to 52%.
, pro-gun and against gay marriage. He supported President Bush's tax cuts while in Congress and also voted in favor of going to war in Iraq. Along with other Democrats in Washington, he is vocal about being a "Blue Dog Democrat
." This comes from the old (Southern) phrase of "Yellow dog Democrat
s" — people who would vote Democrat even if a yellow dog was the nominee. To distance themselves from attacks (such as being too liberal), they formed the coalition.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
. Lucas, a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, was a U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Kentucky's 4th congressional district
Kentucky's 4th congressional district
Kentucky's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in Northern Kentucky, it is a long district that follows the Ohio River...
from 1999 until 2005.
Lucas did not run for reelection in 2004, honoring a promise to serve only three terms. However, he made a bid for his old congressional seat in 2006 against Geoff Davis
Geoff Davis
Geoffrey C. "Geoff" Davis is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
who won the seat in 2004. Lucas narrowly defeated Davis in 2002, even as popular Republican Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Mitch McConnell
Mitch McConnell
Addison Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Kentucky and the Republican Minority Leader.- Early life, education, and military service :...
breezed to a fourth term in a big midterm cycle for Republicans.
On February 2, 2009, he was appointed as Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs by Governor Steve Beshear
Steve Beshear
Steven Lynn "Steve" Beshear is an American politician who is the 61st Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A Democrat, Beshear previously served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1974 to 1979, was the state's Attorney General from 1980 to 1983, and was Lieutenant Governor from...
.
Biography
Lucas was born in Covington, KentuckyCovington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
and grew up on a dairy and tobacco farm in Grant County
Grant County, Kentucky
Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1820. As of 2000, the population was 22,384. Its county seat is Williamstown...
. He attended the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, graduating in 1955. Lucas received his MBA from Xavier University
Xavier University (Cincinnati)
Xavier University is a co-educational Jesuit university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 students and graduate enrollment of 2,600 students. Xavier is primarily...
in 1970. He served for 12 years in the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, later serving in the Air National Guard and retiring as a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. He then became a certified financial planner
Financial planner
A financial planner or personal financial planner is a practicing professional who helps people deal with various personal financial issues through proper planning, which includes: cash flow management, education planning, retirement planning, investment planning, risk management and insurance...
.
From 1967 to 1974, Lucas was a city councilman in Florence
Florence, Kentucky
Florence is a city in Boone County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 29,951 at the 2010 census.-History:The Florence area was originally known as Crossroads, because of the convergence of several roads from Burlington and Union at Ridge Road...
; after this, he became a county commissioner in Boone County
Boone County, Kentucky
Boone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1798. The population was 118,811 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Burlington. The county is named for frontiersman Daniel Boone...
until 1982. In 1992, he was elected county judge-executive of Boone County, and in 1998 he ran successfully for the House.
Lucas' 1998 victory came as something of a surprise even though Democrats have a substantial majority in registration. The influence of the heavily Republican Cincinnati suburbs had kept the district in Republican hands for 32 years, and it is widely considered to be the most Republican district in Kentucky. His victory was even more remarkable since six-term incumbent Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
made a successful run for the Senate in 1998, winning largely by winning his old district by a margin that Democrat Scotty Baesler
Scotty Baesler
Henry Scott Baesler is a Democratic politician and former Representative from Kentucky.Baesler graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1963 and from law school there in 1966. While at the University, Baesler played basketball under legendary coach Adolph Rupp...
couldn't make up in the rest of the state.
Lucas was reelected in 2000 even as the district gave George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
his largest victory margin in the state (the territory currently in the district has not supported a Democrat for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
since 1964).
Lucas was one of the most conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
Democrats in the House, as reflected by National Journal rankings. He also had a lifetime American Conservative Union
American Conservative Union
The American Conservative Union is an American political organization advocating conservative policies, and is the oldest such conservative lobbying organization in the country.-Organization:...
rating of 72, the highest of any Democrat in the 108th Congress
108th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eighth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 2003 to January 3, 2005, during the third and fourth years of George W. Bush's...
. However, he shared most Democrats' wariness about privatizing Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
. He was asked several times to switch parties
Party switching in the United States
In the United States politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office...
and become a Republican.
Lucas heavily recruited Cincinnati television personality Nick Clooney
Nick Clooney
Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Clooney is an American journalist, anchorman, and television host. He is the brother of the late singer Rosemary Clooney, and father of actor and film director George Clooney.-Early life:...
to run against Davis in his stead in 2004, but Davis defeated Clooney 55% to 45%. A Christian
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
The Christian Church is a Mainline Protestant denomination in North America. It is often referred to as The Christian Church, The Disciples of Christ, or more simply as The Disciples...
, Lucas and his wife Mary have five children.
Run for Congress 2006
Local and national Democratic Party leaders recruited Lucas to make a run for his old seat. He formally announced his candidacy on January 30. He had been leaning toward running for some time, and Davis had reportedly been acting as if Lucas would be his opponent. Even though many of the backers of the "Draft Ken Lucas" effort were considerably more liberal than Lucas had been in Congress, they felt that Lucas had a realistic chance of putting the seat back in Democratic hands.In a press release, Lucas slammed Davis for being too loyal to the Republican leadership at the 4th District's expense. He also charged that Davis "has done nothing" to distance himself from the scandals that currently surround House Republicans.
Most pundits had written off the 4th as a Republican lock for 2006, but Lucas' entry instantly turned the race from a cakewalk for Davis into one of the hottest in the campaign cycle, even though the 4th is considered the most Republican district in Kentucky. Despite a substantial Democratic advantage in voter registration, the influence of the heavily Republican Cincinnati suburbs kept the district in Republican hands from 1967 until Lucas won the seat in 1998. In August Congressional Quarterly
Congressional Quarterly
Congressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
rated this race as "Lean Republican." In late July the Washington Post also rated the race as a toss-up. A SurveyUSA poll released on July 25, 2006 showed Lucas leading 50% to 41%, although Davis has a decisive lead in fundraising.
Lucas ended up losing to Davis by nine points: 43% to 52%.
A "Blue-Dog" Democrat
Though the 4th congressional district in Kentucky is arguably the most conservative district in the state, Lucas won his three terms by stressing his conservative social views. He is pro-lifePro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
, pro-gun and against gay marriage. He supported President Bush's tax cuts while in Congress and also voted in favor of going to war in Iraq. Along with other Democrats in Washington, he is vocal about being a "Blue Dog Democrat
Blue Dog Democrat
The Blue Dog Coalition, commonly known as the Blue Dogs, is a group of United States Congressional Representatives from the Democratic Party who identify themselves as moderates....
." This comes from the old (Southern) phrase of "Yellow dog Democrat
Yellow dog Democrat
Yellow Dog Democrats was a political term applied to voters in the Southern United States who voted solely for Democratic candidates, with the term commencing in the late 19th century. Due to Republican president Abraham Lincoln's leading the Union against the Confederacy, these voters would...
s" — people who would vote Democrat even if a yellow dog was the nominee. To distance themselves from attacks (such as being too liberal), they formed the coalition.
External links
- Entry in the Congressional Biographical Dictionary
- Official campaign site
- AP story on Lucas' entry in 2006 race (from the Lexington Herald-LeaderLexington Herald-LeaderThe Lexington Herald-Leader is a newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company and based in the U.S. city of Lexington, Kentucky. According to the 1999 Editor & Publisher International Yearbook, the Herald-Leaders paid circulation is the second largest in the Commonwealth of Kentucky...
) - FEC — contributions to Lucas