Ken Lucas

Ken Lucas was the Democratic Party nominee in the 2006 congressional election for the Fourth Congressional District of Kentucky (map). He unsuccessfully challenged Republican Rep. Geoff Davis.

Biography
Born in 1933, Lucas grew up on a dairy and tobacco farm in Grant County, Kentucky. 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 United States Air Force, later serving in the United States Air National Guard and retiring as a Major. He then became a certified financial planner.

From 1967-74, Lucas was a city councilman in Florence, Kentucky. He then became a county commissioner in Boone County, Kentucky until 1982. In 1992, he was elected county executive of Boone County, and in 1998 ran successfully for the House. Lucas was reelected in 2000 even as the district gave George W. Bush his largest victory margin in the state.

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 United States Congress. He is pro-life, 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 Democrats" — 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. However, Lucas did share most Democrats' wariness about privatizing Social Security.

Lucas did not run for reelection in 2004, honoring a promise to serve only three terms. 

2006 congressional elections
Local and national Democratic Party leaders recruited Lucas to make a run for his old seat in the 2006 congressional elections. He formally announced his candidacy on January 30, 2006. 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.

Davis defeated Lucas 51% to 44% to retain his seat. 

Iraq War
Lucas voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Blue Grass, Red State

Campaign contact information
Email: info@WeNeedKenLucas.com Phone: (859) 331-0832 Fax: (302) 261-0249 Mail: Lucas for Congress P.O. Box 175765 Covington, KY 41017 Campaign Office: 618 Buttermilk Pike Suite 200 Crescent Springs, KY 41017