The candidates have been determined.

In less than a month, Republican nominee J. Marshall Hughes will take on Mike Reynolds on the Democratic side for the vacated 32nd District State Senate seat.

But what else may be at stake is the future of Warren and Butler Counties.

According to both State Representatives Jody Richards and Jim DeCesare, with a week already complete for the General Assembly, the new senator will have to hit the ground running.

"They're not going to miss much but they need to make sure they're in touch and in tune with what's going on in the General Assembly that first week," says 21st District Representative DeCesare.

He'll have plenty of issues to look at.

"The biggest problem is the budget. We're in the worst financial condition in the state that I've seen since I've been there," says 20th District Representative Richards.

"Warren County, we're one of the fastest growing areas in the state and outgrowing our infrastructure. We're outgrowing our roads, so we need to make sure we keep momentum moving forward," adds DeCesare.

The 3-term Representative, DeCesare also says water and sewage issues are seriously being looked at in Frankfort.

The former House Speaker, Richards points to higher education as a big issue, especially at the university level.

"Western is very important to our community and we need to fund it properly so that it doesn't have to re-trench and limit enrollment and that sort of thing," he notes.

"With Representative Richards and myself in the house, we need to make sure there's a Senator in the Senate who will be able to work with both of us to bring the initiatives back to Warren County and Butler County for the good of all citizens," says DeCesare.

"If the new senator works hard and comes to speed quickly and works with others, I think he will be very successful, " says Richards.

Both DeCesare and Richards also agree it will be paramount of the winner to be able to work effectively with both parties.

This would be first political office held by either Hughes or Reynolds.