WHO IS ALYSSA DARA MCDOWELL, ANYWAY?

by Michael Monks 
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As the buzzer was about to sound on the filing deadline for candidates to enter Covington's 2012 municipal races, the city's mayoral ballot gained a third name, forcing a May primary. While Covington voters will likely be familiar with the names of two candidates, current City Commissioners Sherry Carran and Steve Casper, they may not yet know the name of number three. That is unless the voter paid attention to the 2010 race for Kenton County Judge-Executive in which Alyssa Dara McDowell ran as an independent.

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In that election, McDowell was described in press reports as a resident of Taylor Mill and press releases from her campaign also used that city as the dateline. There was no Democrat in the 2010 Judge-Executive race making it a two-candidate showdown between McDowell and Republican Steve Arlinghaus who cruised to victory by a margin of 76% to 24%. But in that race McDowell's 24% translated to more than 9,200 votes, nearly 2,500 more than Denny Bowman got in 2008 when he was elected Mayor of Covington. In fact, the 9,200 votes McDowell won is just roughly 2,000 fewer than the total that was cast for Bowman and his opponent, former Mayor Butch Callery.  

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Because the Covington mayor's race coincides with the Presidential election, voter turnout will likely be as high as or higher than it was in 2008, but that would only matter to McDowell if she were to be able to pick off one of her opponents. Only two candidates will advance beyond the May primary to the November general election. Presumably, McDowell is a newer resident of Covington and will have to work a little hard than Casper or Carran in developing name recognition within the city limits.

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The River City News is awaiting response from McDowell to a list of interview questions submitted via email after an in-person interview was cut short at her request moments after the Monte Casino resident filed her papers to run for mayor. McDowell promises a response soon. She was heavily involved in the recent debate over Covington's daytime curfew, advocating for home-school exemptions. In the meantime, an examination of McDowell's Judge-Executive campaign-related websites and press reports from 2010 gives us a glimpse of what to expect possibly.

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From a 2010 KY Post article following the results of the Judge-Executive race:

McDowell is a native of Boca Raton, Fla. She attempted to draw on her experience of tourism as a viable answer to the county’s unemployment rate. She owns A1 Limousine and has lived in Kenton County for 20 years and served as a volunteer for the Republican Party.

 From her 2010 campaign website:

I am Pro-Life, as science proves that a baby is a living human being. Choice should not override that fact. Further, studies have shown that mothers who have had abortions later suffer emotional trauma over the loss of the life of their child. I support adoption as a healthy alternative to all involved. I also support teaching abstinence. 

I am for our right to bear arms. It is our right, granted by the Constitution, to protect ourselves. 

I am against a smoking ban as I am for free enterprise. However, for the ban to come up in question, I believe that the people should be able to vote on the issue.

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Three pieces of her platform that also appear on the campaign website: implementing small business initiatives such a one-stop small business start-up center and cutting business taxes; creating a business-friendly environment with better marketing and more tourism; partnering with governments, businesses, and non-profits to solve social issues.