Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., has finally announced that he will not run for re-election. His poor fundraising totals this year, and the fact that he already encouraged another Republican to enter the race, make the announcement no surprise. But Bunning has tested the patience of his allies all year by maintaining an air of uncertainty over his future plans.
Over the last several months, Bunning has been generous in blaming various Republican Party figures for driving him out of politics, including his fellow Kentuckian, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn, R-Tex. His statement today continues that trend:
“Over the past year, some of the leaders of the Republican Party in the Senate have done everything in their power to dry up my fundraising. The simple fact is that I have not raised the funds necessary to run an effective campaign for the U.S. Senate. For this reason, I will not be a candidate for re-election in 2010.”
McConnell’s statement is a bit more conciliatory:
“Jim has enjoyed two Hall of Fame worthy careers, and I am honored to have worked by his side in the Senate for the past several years. His steadfast focus on serving the people of the commonwealth has been as unwavering as his conservative ideals. Kentucky is a far better place because of his service.
And so is Cornyn’s:
“For over 20 years, Senator Jim Bunning has been a principled leader in Congress who has served his state and its people well. He has always been a leader who has put Kentucky first.”
Bunning’s exit from the race leaves two Republicans competing for the nomination — Secretary of State Trey Grayson, and optometrist Rand Paul, son of Rep. Ron Paul, R-Tex. Attorney General Jack Conway and Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo are the two major Democrats in the race.
