Jim Bunning is in an increasingly nasty fight with the Senate Republican leadership over his 2010 re-election campaign. While NRSC Chair John Cornyn and GOP Leader Mitch McConnell would be happy if he steps aside, they will not publicly acknowledge it. For his part, Bunning has said that he will seek re-election next year. But many wonder if the incumbent can win. He has raised little money and he barely prevailed in 2004. The big knock against him in that race was his ‘erratic’ behavior - and his recent antics give opponents plenty more ammunition for the charge.
And now - as if things couldn’t get any weirder - Bunning has reportedly threatened to resign his seat and allow Kentucky’s Democrat Governor to appoint his replacement:
As he battles his own party in an increasingly public feud over his political future, Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) has suggested he may resign his seat early, giving Kentucky’s governor the chance to hand Democrats a filibuster-proof 60-seat majority in the Senate.
According to a well-placed source, Bunning told guests at a fundraiser this week in Washington that, thanks to top Washington Republicans questioning his ability to win a third term, he may instead simply quit his seat.
The Kentucky senator strongly denied making the comments. “It’s not true. I intend to fulfill my obligation to the people of Kentucky,” Bunning said in a statement his office provided to The Hill. “If you are going to write something like this you’d better make your sources known because they are lying.”
This food fight is an embarrassment. GOP-held Senate seats are scarce enough that we can’t put more at risk. Kentucky may wind up as the Democrats’ number one target next year - regardless of whether Bunning is the nominee.
One thing is clear however: Bunning has no chance at re-election behaving the way he is now. If he truly intends to seek re-election, he ought to start acting like someone who has a prayer of winning a statewide race.
one straw
LawSchoolRed Saturday, February 28th at 11:21PM EST (link)short of a slurpee. It is time to send him out to pasture. We don’t need Ted Kennedy’s and Tim Johnson’s. I don’t know the situation of what our bench looks like in KY but we can do better. He is going to lose. 100% guaranteed. In that regard it makes sense that Cornyn isnt giving him NRSC money since its as good as TARP 1. We might as well use the time, energy and money to start positioning someone to run in 2010 other than Bunning and we need to do it soon.
Ayup ... throw 'em under the bus
GreyCloak Sunday, March 1st at 3:05AM EST (link)If Mitch McConnell’s fellow Senator from Kentucky isn’t good enough, throw him under the bus. Senatorial squabbles are obviously more important than actually winning seats.
I’m glad that my Senator Cornyn has weighed in. JP Morgan gave Cornyn almost $63,000 last election … Lawyers and law firms gave him a tad over $1.34 million, last election.
Mitch’s top contributors have been Kindred Healthcare and the charged-with-tax-evasion firm of UBS, but his #1 and #3 industries are “Securities & Investment” ($1.1 million) and “Lawyers/Law Firms” ($0.9 million).
Jim Bunning has taken less than half as much from the same industries.
I guess McConnell and Cornyn have a point … you gots to get more bribes … and if you can’t, let somebody else run for your seat ….. as the article notes, a Democrat will likely win, anyway.
You seem awfully defeatist.
barry915barry Sunday, March 1st at 8:21AM EST (link)Paraphrasing…….
“Axelrod is a liar-who cares.”
“Specter is not so bad.”
“Burris is not so bad.”
“No one in Illinois GOP is clean enough” (Mark Kirk-IL 10)?
“Defending the rinos.”
“Sebelius is not so bad”
And just generally ripping on the GOP multiple times.
ENOUGH ALREADY!
Not supporting an ineffective Senator does not constitute throwing him under the bus. Senator Bunnings close elections are simply fact. His lack of fundraising prowess (in senatorial terms) is well known. He has made several larger than normal gaffes (such as the recent Ginsburg death-watch comments, or saying your opponent looks like Saddam Hussein’s son). In a SurveyUSA Poll this past December his negatives were higher than his approval rating (44%-43%).
If we can make a run at him from the Right, I think that is a good thing. Kentucky is a RedState and not changing color anytime soon (16.2% margin in 2008 presidential). We can hold the seat and move to the Right, WITHOUT damaging the party.
The train is rolling GreyCloak! Feel free to climb aboard!!
Sorry, Brian. Meant to reply to GreyCloak. nt
barry915barry Sunday, March 1st at 8:33AM EST (link)