Roll Call has a story today that questions whether or not Jim Bunning will seek a third term with the U.S. Senate in 2010. To paraphrase a Republican friend of ours, it certainly looks like someone in Washington, D.C. is trying to get the waters swirling.
[S]omehow retirement rumors continue to persist when it comes to the 77-year-old junior Senator from the Bluegrass State.
Maybe it’s because Bunning is certain to be in for a tough campaign this cycle. The Senator barely survived his 2004 re-election against now-Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo … recent public polls have shown Bunning is less popular than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who found himself in a closer-than-anticipated race in 2008…
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Republican operatives have sought to spin the argument that the early announcements are overall more helpful than harmful, and privately some party insiders admit that a retirement announcement from the irascible Bunning might improve prospects for holding the seat.
Maybe the best way for Bunning to finally put the questions to rest will be to demonstrate his commitment to running again with his campaign account. A good showing on his year-end fundraising report, due to be filed on Jan. 31, would certainly make National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn happy.
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At the end of the third quarter of 2008, Bunning had just $150,000 in his Senate campaign account.
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One Republican mentioned as a potential candidate if Bunning leaves the Senate is Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, a rising star in state GOP circles….
But even as they get excited about their chances this cycle in Kentucky, the Democratic field is still very much in flux. Mongiardo is just one of several well-known Democrats being mentioned for the race. Others include Rep. Ben Chandler, Attorney General Jack Conway and state Auditor Crit Luallen.
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Still, with Kentucky being a top target for Democrats in 2010, iti s highly plausible that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, led by Sen. Bob Menendez, could step in to help sort out the primary field. One of the strengths of Menendez’s predecessor, Sen. Charles Schumer, was his ability to intervene in primaries so the party got the strongest possible nominee.
I’ve got a full copy of the article if anyone is interested in reading it. Just contact me.
That final paragraph is also pretty interesting. Regardless of what some in eastern Kentucky rightfully hope for in terms of a Mongiardo candidacy, you can bet your booties that the DSCC will intervene if necessary. Mongiardo isn’t the organization’s pick and it’s not likely to funnel millions into the state in support of him. From what we hear in the annex and across Frankfort, it doesn’t help that Mongiardo and the governor have almost no working relationship, doesn’t help that he is living in his in-laws’ basement or that his top staff members have recently abandoned him in frustration.
And doesn’t it seem like someone in Washington is lighting a fire under Jim Bunning’s rear in hopes of running Trey Grayson? That’s if Republicans think they can win the seat, of course, because they appear to be interested in running Geoff Davis if there’s a chance of losing.
The next 17 months or so are going to be highly entertaining. Especially if things like this keep happening.
18 responses so far ↓
1 Hater // Jan 16, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Comment/counterpost from Shack in 5, 4, 3….
2 Shack // Jan 16, 2009 at 1:55 pm
“Mongiardo isn’t the organization’s pick and it’s not likely to funnel millions into the state in support of him”
You better check your sources Jake because you have no idea what you are talking about in regards to that comment.
3 Shack // Jan 16, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I will just post it here thankyou very much.
4 jake // Jan 16, 2009 at 2:08 pm
I suppose that’s why the DSCC is pushing Jack Conway all over Washington and why they’re telling me that Mongiardo isn’t their pick?
Also, read the Roll Call piece. It’s clear the DSCC will play in any potential primary. They’ll push money to their favorite, as they did in 2008. They’ll force others out of the race.
Funny how I was spot-on with every single DSCC-sourced story in 2008, isn’t it? Because it’s the same sources today. Which are pretty darn good.
5 Taylor // Jan 16, 2009 at 2:30 pm
anyone but Lt. Dan in 2010!
6 TJ // Jan 16, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Brett Hall’s post yesterday was in the same vein. GOPers are trying to push Bunning out.
7 Shack // Jan 16, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Every single story! Now that’s reaching. If the DSCC was pushing Jack why do all the national pundits call Dan the man? I am sure the Fix and The Hill have better sources Jake.
Daniel is the first one mentioned as he should be. I can not imagine the opportunists at the DSCC not following suit as they always do.
The lil KDP poll should be a wakeup call for the OTHER potential candidates. Hopefully and I doubt it, the OTHERS use a little common sense.
8 jake // Jan 16, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I suppose you don’t remember any of the 20 or 30 stories about the DSCC intervening and meddling in the primary here in 2008? Even when the media was denying it? It all came true and Beshear/Lunsford finally admitted it.
I recognize that you’re a fan of Daniel and claim to be a good friend of his. He’s been good for eastern Kentucky in many respects. But my sources at the DSCC, the place that, you know, knows what the heck is going on with their U.S. Senate plans in 2010, tell me he’s not their guy.
The KDP hasn’t done a poll. It was conducted by a pollster who is tight with the Beshear Administration.
9 Shack // Jan 16, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Great I am glad you have “sources” and I don’t use any perceived claims of being a friend of Daniel to my benefit, never. I am Dan fan because he has never lied to me, he has done exactly what he said he would do in regards to our Native American agenda and for that we are grateful.
But the DSCC will go for the candidate they think has the best chance of winning. Conway is a good guy but he can not beat Daniel in a primary, NO WAY. If the national press keeps mentioning Daniel first, as they all have been, he will be their guy. PERIOD, that’s the way it works. So sorry I don’t believe you when you say that “sources at the DSCC have told me” I just don’t believe it, sorry but I don’t.
Lunsford was pimped because he has the cash and none of the other potential candidates had ever seen the inside of a political office before, at least Lunsford was a campaign veteran, never won a damn thing, but he is a campaign veteran.
10 Shack // Jan 16, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I thought the KDP had a hand in the poll. But anyway we will soon see more polling I have a feeling and I predict, THE NON PUSH POLLS that is , will show Daniel leading the pack as expected.
11 jake // Jan 16, 2009 at 4:14 pm
No one said you use your relationship with Mongiardo to your benefit. Just that you claim to be close friends with him.
Feel free to question my sources and my credibility. My DSCC folks were always spot-on throughout the primary and general in 2008 and have been right since then. And you never heard the DS or the Lunsford camp refute ANYTHING I ever published when sourcing DS folks, did you? Nope.
As far as polling goes, Jack Conway holds his own in eastern Kentucky, where he’s very popular.
12 Krispy Kremes Are For Lovers // Jan 16, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Um, I’m not too sure that anybody cares what you think, Shackleford–IIRC, you’re a nuclear physicist green beret tech sector coal expert who rides his motorcycle everywhere furled by the righteous anger of people the should be republicans, but don’t like that the GOP hasn’t built up a patronage system in Eastern KY.
But I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt– why, exactly, do you think Daniel is a better candidate than Jack? And don’t cite a poll nobody’s seen to me– lay out some issues. Is it a plus that he’s so homophobic that you can feel progressive? Or that he advocates opening up our last big resource to companies that poison the water we drink for ever-decreasing numbers of jobs and fewer restrictions than GEORGE BUSH’S version of the EPA?
Oh, wait, I know–I’m hating on Eastern KY. Go ahead, fire back. Bigot.
13 jake // Jan 16, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Now, now kiddies. Let’s leave the personal attacks to other lowly websites.
But I DO agree. Rather than a silly pissing contest, lay out the issues and tell us, specifically, why Daniel Mongiardo would make a better U.S. Senate candidate and why he’d make a better U.S. Senator. Let’s talk about issues and everything else under the sun and stop the ignorant, closed-minded and egotistical gloating.
14 Shack // Jan 16, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I don’t really care how many people care what I think. And Jake your response or sorry whoever that was can kiss it. Only someone that actually knows me could have made that comment. I don’t really know anyone outside of a voice over the phone or the words in an email and that means they don’t know me, I like that. Be a little more discrete next time. I did not say you did not know people, I am sure you aggravate the piss out of them, all I said is I don’t believe what your so-called source is saying.
Calm down, take a pill, have a drink, its Friday.
15 jake // Jan 16, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Before you go hopping around getting accusatory, here’s the IP address of the individual who left the comment about you:
c-76-22-248-*.hsd1.tn.comcast.net
If I wanted to attack– or had a reason to, I’m pretty sure I could do a much better job.
16 Shack // Jan 16, 2009 at 6:37 pm
OK, Jake, whatever you say. You da man!
17 Taylor // Jan 16, 2009 at 7:15 pm
sorry I missed out on this discussion all day, but if I’m not mistaken, isn’t Chandler the candidate favored by the national pundits (Kos, etc.)? Not that I mind this necessarily, but I don’t know if I’ve even seen Mongiardo mentioned by those out of state (but perhaps I’m just subconsciously ignoring him when his name is mentioned because he would be the worst possible Democrat to run).
18 WouldaShouldaCoulda // Jan 16, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Bunning is quite an issue for the GOP. He was hospitalized back around November and his team was able to keep that out of the media. He’s AWOL in the Senate, but his early predictions of the Wall Street bailout run amok and vote against it have proven somewhat prophetic. I think Mitch would rather see Trey run, but Bunning could give two cents what Mitch thinks.
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