GALBRAITH: WORKING PEOPLE WANT NEW GOVERNOR

Arms flailing and voice raised, Gatewood Galbraith sounded more like a
preacher than a candidate for governor as he railed on about one of his
favorite subjects: the shortcomings of the Democratic and Republican parties.

''Both of the major parties have abandoned the people and the principles
that made them great,'' said Galbraith, the Reform Party candidate for
governor. ''Hear, hear,'' came the reply from the front row.

The reaction is the same everywhere he goes, Galbraith said. From the
coalfields of Eastern Kentucky to the union halls of Northern Kentucky,
where he spoke to a group of steel workers on Wednesday, people tell him
they are fed up with politics as usual and are ready for a change.

Galbraith thinks he's the man to bring about that change.

''In November, the people have a chance to vote against that donkey and
elephant tripe they get presented every four years,'' he said.

A Lexington attorney, Galbraith has twice run for governor as a Democrat
and lost. This year, he's hoping to become the Jesse Ventura of Kentucky,
the man who rides voter discontent with the two major parties all the way
to the governor's mansion in Frankfort.

Most political observers consider him a long shot, but Galbraith is fond of
pointing out that nobody thought Ventura stood much of a chance last year
in Minnesota's gubernatorial race.

Galbraith, a witty man who's quick with one-liners and is probably best
known for advocating the legalization of marijuana, feels he's closer to
the governor's mansion than ever before.

The incumbent, Democrat Paul Patton, ''stabbed the working people in the
back'' by pushing workers' compensation reforms that have made it nearly
impossible for injured workers to get benefits, Galbraith said.

The Republican candidate is Peppy Martin, a little-known publicist from
Bonnieville in Hart County whose campaign hasn't caught fire. Even members
of her own party talk openly about the possibility that she might place
third in the Nov. 2 election.

For his part, Galbraith has spent a good deal of time on the campaign trail
courting labor and other disenchanted voters who are looking for an
alternative.

If elected, Galbraith promises to scale back Patton's workers' compensation
reforms and replace them with ''compassionate workers' compensation'' that
will give employees injured on the job the benefits they are due while
cutting back on the bureaucracy that runs the system.

He advocates giving tax breaks to working men and women and providing fewer
incentives to ''large, rich corporations.'' He contends Kentucky's share of
the national tobacco settlement should go directly to farmers, ''not to the
bureaucrats and the social engineers who want to 'build a better society'
for farmers but who don't want to live in it themselves.' ''

He's against casino gambling, gun control and raising the state gas tax.
He's for less government, affordable health insurance for all Kentuckians
and, yes, legalizing industrial hemp and allowing the use of marijuana for
medicinal purposes.

Though he officially changed his party registration to ''independent'' in
1995, Galbraith still considers himself ''a yellow-dog Democrat,'' meaning
he'd vote for a yellow dog rather than a Republican.

The problem, he said, is ''this present governor is worse than a yellow
dog. He has turned around and gnawed on the hands of the people who put him
there. They're going to make him pay.''

His pro-union, less-government platform received a warm reception Wednesday
among members of the United Steel Workers of America Local 1870, which
invited him to speak to the group in Southgate.

Galbraith promised the group that he and his lieutenant governor running
mate, Kathy Lyons, ''are going to be the best ticket for labor since the
National Labor Relations Board was created.''

He said Democrats have held ''a monopoly on power,'' occupying the
governor's mansion for almost three decades.

''When that once voice of power turns against you, you've got to make them
pay,'' Galbraith said.

Wayne Smith of Highland Heights, an electrician for Newport Steel, said he
supported Patton and even did volunteer work for his campaign in 1995. But
this year, he's voting for Galbraith, he said.

Smith said he trusted Patton, but he feels like Patton turned on working
men and women when he pushed through workers' compensation reform.

As for Galbraith, ''He's closer to being a regular working man.''

Tom Wells of Walton, president of the local, said the union hasn't endorsed
any candidate. But Wells said he likes Galbraith's positions on gun control
and workers' compensation.

''It appears he is concerned about common people,'' Wells said.

That's what Galbraith likes to hear. It's further proof that his message is
resonating with people.

''We're going to set off a Roman candle in all of that darkness,'' he
promised.