Jim Bunning is not running for re-election
By MANU RAJU & JOSH KRAUSHAAR
from Politico.com
7/27/09
Blaming GOP leaders for freezing him out on fundraising, Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) is bailing on his Senate campaign and won't run for re-election next year.
The move comes as a great relief for Washington Republicans concerned about Bunning's prospects in the midterm elections, and Bunning blasted fellow Republicans, saying they had "done everything in their power" to force him out.
Bunning has been under enormous pressure to step aside from senior Republicans in Washington, including from the Senate’s top Republican and fellow Kentuckian Mitch McConnell, who worried that the 77-year-old senator’s poor fundraising and rock-bottom poll numbers will ensure he loses reelection in 2010. But the senator had for months resisted overtures and became increasingly confrontational with McConnell, who learned about the news just moments before his announcement.
In a statement issued Monday afternoon, Bunning continued his criticism of tactics by Republican leaders.
“To win a general election, a candidate has to be able to raise millions of dollars to get the message out to voters,” Bunning said. “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.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25479.html#ixzz0MV6nRIwI
from Politico.com
7/27/09
Blaming GOP leaders for freezing him out on fundraising, Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) is bailing on his Senate campaign and won't run for re-election next year.
The move comes as a great relief for Washington Republicans concerned about Bunning's prospects in the midterm elections, and Bunning blasted fellow Republicans, saying they had "done everything in their power" to force him out.
Bunning has been under enormous pressure to step aside from senior Republicans in Washington, including from the Senate’s top Republican and fellow Kentuckian Mitch McConnell, who worried that the 77-year-old senator’s poor fundraising and rock-bottom poll numbers will ensure he loses reelection in 2010. But the senator had for months resisted overtures and became increasingly confrontational with McConnell, who learned about the news just moments before his announcement.
In a statement issued Monday afternoon, Bunning continued his criticism of tactics by Republican leaders.
“To win a general election, a candidate has to be able to raise millions of dollars to get the message out to voters,” Bunning said. “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.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25479.html#ixzz0MV6nRIwI
Powered by Blogger
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home