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KY-Sen: Bunning Plans to Run for Re-election

by: Crisitunity

Wed Dec 10, 2008 at 1:19 PM EST

Christmas seems to be coming a few days early for Kentucky Democrats: Jim Bunning, who barely won re-election in the Republican year of 2004 against a little-known state senator (after several campaign trail incidents that called into question his mental faculties), plans to run for a third term. The Louisville Courier-Journal is reporting today that Bunning has formed a steering committee to begin fundraising for 2010. (H/t RandySF.)

Given how red Kentucky is, at least at the presidential level, this has to be one race where we'd do better running against a crazy incumbent rather than against a generic R (especially in an off-year election where there won't be presidential coattails to help Bunning over the finish line). As we discussed in our Kentucky recruitment thread a few weeks ago, Rep. Ben Chandler would probably be the best bet on the Dem side (although he'd leave behind a pretty red district to fill). Other names include Auditor Crit Luallen (who, perhaps unwisely, turned down the opportunity to go after Mitch McConnell this year) and Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo (who lost to Bunning in 2004 while still a state senator).

Crisitunity :: KY-Sen: Bunning Plans to Run for Re-election

Tags: Ben Chandler, Jim Bunning, KY-Sen, (All Tags)

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KY-Sen: Bunning Plans to Run for Re-election | 5 comments

Whoo hoo! (eom)

by: ChadInFL @ Wed Dec 10, 2008 at 12:36:02 PM CST

by: you @ soon

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Also

Attorney General Jack Conway is actively considering it (as is Luallen):

http://www.politickerky.com/tr...

by: James L. @ Wed Dec 10, 2008 at 12:37:18 PM CST

by: you @ soon

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Deep Kentucky Bench

Dan Mongiardo
State Auditor Crit Luallen
Attorney General Jack Conway
State Treasurer Todd Hollenbach
ex-State Treasurer Jonathon Miller
Any chance of former Secretary of State/political dynasty John Brown III running? Or did he finish himself off with the unsuccessfull run for LG?

by: Mister Gloom @ Wed Dec 10, 2008 at 13:41:04 PM CST

by: you @ soon

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no Chandler?

He didn't run this year so he could run in 2010, this is basically his seat if he wants it.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus

by: ArkDem the Ragin Cajin @ Wed Dec 10, 2008 at 15:42:17 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Hooray!

Chandler obviously gets first dibs. If he gets in his the frontrunner in the primary and the general and this is the most likely to flip seat. I think he's happy in his red district with some nice committee assignments though.

After that Mongiardo probably is the next choice and people would likely defer to him and let him have a rematch.

Then we've also got Conway and Luallen who are both also very good candidates and as mentioned current and former Treasurers Todd Hollenbach and Jonathon Miller would also make good candidates.

Basicly we've got about 6 people who could run a decent campaign and still win.

I hope Conway runs personally. I think he'd be the strongest candidate other then Chandler and he wouldn't give up a seat. I'd be pretty happy with any of them though.

by: Populista @ Wed Dec 10, 2008 at 14:23:26 PM CST

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KY-Sen: Bunning Plans to Run for Re-election | 5 comments