Bunning's still in, says fund raising picking up

State News

April 23, 2009

Says Democrats may want to think the race, not him

By RONNIE ELLIS The McCreary County Record Thu Apr 23, 2009, 01:13 PM EDT

FRANKFORT — Jim Bunning said he is “not going to re-think” running for re-election next year in light of difficulties he’s encountered raising money for the campaign and thinks now that $7 million – not his original estimate of $10 million – will be enough to finance his campaign.

Bunning, 77, the Republican Kentucky Senator who wants a third term even though some in his party seem to think he should step aside, told Kentucky reporters recently that his fundraising was going “lousy.”

But Tuesday he said that during the first quarter “it turned out to be a little better than lousy, but it was pretty bad.” Bunning reported to the Federal Election Commission last week that he’d raised $262,843 during the first quarter, especially meager for an incumbent. One of his announced Democratic challengers, Kentucky Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo, reported raising $429,550 during the same time frame.

Mongiardo, who lost to Bunning narrowly in 2004, announced in December he’d run again for the seat. Since then, Darlene Fitzgerald Price, a former U.S. customs agent from McCreary County, and Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway have also announced they’ll run. Conway announced after the first quarter FEC filing deadline.

Bunning has said his fundraising is going poorly because his “party leadership” – presumably Senate Republican Leader and Kentucky’s other U.S. senator, Mitch McConnell, and Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who heads up the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee – have discouraged prospective donors to his campaign. But Bunning said he raised between $70,000 and $75,000 at a northern Kentucky fundraiser in April attended by former L.A. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda and about $50,000 last week at an event attended by Mississippi Republican Gov. Haley Barbour at the Prospect home of Bill Samuels, CEO of Maker’s Mark. Both of those events occurred after the first-quarter period covered by the FEC report.

Bunning said his fundraising “has picked up,” and instead of his re-thinking the race, Bunning said Democrats who want to challenge him may wish to reconsider.

“Maybe the re-thinking will have to be done on the other side of the aisle since they’ve got a primary,” Bunning said. The Democratic primary also may mean he’ll need less money than the original $10 million goal he set for his re-election effort, a goal he’s already twice revised downward.

“I don’t think probably I’ll need $10 million with most of the Democrat money being spent in a primary,” Bunning said. “I think I can get by with about the same amount I had last time (in 2004) which was about $7 million. So, I’ve lowered my sights because of the intensity of the primary on the other side.”

Bunning, however, isn’t absolutely assured he won’t have his own primary. State Sen. President David Williams, R-Burkesville, appears to be considering the race. Although he won’t confirm or deny he’s interested, Williams has hinted at several Lincoln Day Dinners this spring he might be a candidate in 2010. Secretary of State Trey Grayson has said he’s interested in the Senate seat but won’t oppose Bunning, his long-time “friend and mentor.”

Bunning also said he will vote against Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as President Barack Obama’s nominee for Secretary of the Health and Human Services Cabinet because of her lack of experience in health care and her support of abortion rights and ties to Dr. George Tiller, a Kansas doctor who performs late-term abortions. He said he visited with Sebelius for 30 minutes or so, and “I told her I couldn’t support her.”

Later Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee voted in favor of the nomination 15-8 with Bunning one of the eight no votes. The nomination must be voted on by the full Senate.

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.

Text Only

State News

Shepherd brings legislature to stop
FRANKFORT — Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd not only put on hold the filing deadline for candidates for state House and Senate districts — he effectively shut down the business of the General Assembly.

February 3, 2012
Jensen still pushing for pseudoephedrine legislation
FRANKFORT – Debate on legislation to require prescriptions for cold remedies containing pseudoephedrine has been heated and it appears it may heat up some more, given remarks in the Kentucky State Senate on Friday.

February 3, 2012
Special election Feb. 7 for Comer's seat
The Feb. 7 special election to fill the unexpired term of former Rep. James Comer, who was elected Commissioner of Agriculture in November, will be conducted according to the previous district lines as they existed before the General Assembly

January 26, 2012
Confusion reigns
Angry lawmakers who saw their legislative districts changed or taken away from them continued to discuss the possibility of legal action while the newly enacted law seems to call into question a special election to fill the unexpired term of new Agriculture

January 25, 2012
VIDEO - Floor speech by Rep. Jill York on House Bill 1-January 12, 2012
Redistricting is a big issue right now going on in Carter and surrounding counties.

Jill York, current Representative of the 96th District spoke about the redistricting on Thursday.

Click the headline for video and audio

January 14, 2012
Changes afoot on congressional map
FRANKFORT — A new congressional district map approved Thursday by a Democratic-controlled House committee would substantially alter five of the state’s districts and make the First and Fifth Districts more receptive to Democrats.

January 11, 2012 1 Photo
Education coalition speaks its mind in Frankfort
FRANKFORT — Public perception may be that the state’s elementary and secondary schools haven’t faced real funding cuts in recent years, but a coalition of education groups said Wednesday that is wrong and schools need more money.

January 5, 2012
Longtime political figure dies
FRANKFORT — One of Kentucky’s most colorful political figures, Gatewood Galbraith, a perennial candidate for statewide office, has died.
Galbraith, 64, apparently died in his sleep and his body was discovered by a family member

January 5, 2012 1 Photo
Williams to remain Senate President
FRANKFORT — All the speculation was apparently misplaced. David Williams, the Burkesville Republican who lost the 2011 governor’s race to incumbent Democrat Steve Beshear, will remain president of the Kentucky State Senate at least for another year.

December 21, 2011 1 Photo
Beshear talks gambling at inaugural festivities
FRANKFORT Gov. Steve Beshear used his inaugural speech Tuesday to call for “allowing the people of Kentucky to vote on expanded gaming within our borders” and also said it is time for some sort of tax reform.

December 14, 2011 2 Photos
More State News Headlines

State News

Search Results

Bunning's still in, says fund raising picking up

Says Democrats may want to think the race, not him

Site Map

Contact Us