  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.kentucky department of veteran's affairs-commissioner biography ==life and career== lucas was born in covington, kentucky 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
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