By RONNIE ELLIS
Embattled Kentucky U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning raised $262,843 during the first quarter, much smaller than other incumbent senators and less than one of the Democrats who wants his job.
Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo, who lost narrowly to Bunning in the 2004 Senate race, raised $420,000 in the first quarter.
Bunning has said his fundraising was “lousy” in a recent teleconference with Kentucky reporters although he said it had picked up lately. Bunning, 77, and a former professional baseball player and member of the Major League Hall of Fame, has complained that some in his party, including fellow Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, have been discouraging prospective donors because they think he’ll have a hard time wining re-election in 2010.
Bunning’s report to the Federal Election Commission isn’t likely to fuel enthusiasm – he may not be too happy with it, either. After addressing the Louisville Rotary Club Thursday he brushed by reporters declining to answer their questions about the report.
Just more than half of the money he raised came from political action committees - $132,933 – while he raised $129,910 from individuals. Many came from outside of Kentucky, several from the Washington, D.C. area.
Bunning reported individual contributions from 13 states other plus the District of Columbia and Kentucky. At least 19 live in Texas and more than 20 were from areas around Washington. Most of the money which came from Kentucky came from his home base of northern Kentucky and the Cincinnati area.
Among those from Kentucky who contributed were Jim Host, Hunter Bates, former Republican state Sen. Dick Roeding and present Republican state Senators from northern Kentucky, John Shickel and Katie Stine. Steve Robertson, chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky also contributed as did Maker’s Mark CEO Bill Samuels.
Samuels was to host a fundraiser Thursday night at his Jefferson County home for Bunning, but money raised at that event won’t be reported until the end of the second quarter. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is scheduled to appear at the event and Bunning’s first quarter report showed several contributions from residents of Mississippi.
Some of the PAC which contributed to Bunning are Foundation Coal, Coal PAC, AT&T;, UBS Americas Fund, Coca-Cola, Ashland Inc., RJR, American Bankers Association, Major League Baseball, American Horse Council, National Association of Insurance and Finance, New York Life, TECO, Marathon, and American Quarter Horse. The horse, coal and tobacco industries are critical to Kentucky’s economy and Bunning serves on the Banking and Finance committees in the Senate.
Bunning also has less cash on hand than Mongiardo - $375,747 to the Democrat’s $388,500.
Mongiardo issued a statement which said Bunning’s FEC report “makes it clear Kentuckians are tired of his arrogance and blind support of Republican policies.”
State Attorney General Jack Conway announced last week he will also enter the Democratic primary to get his party’s nomination to face Bunning. Conway won’t have to report to the FEC until July. Former customs agent and Democrat Darlene Price Fitzgerald of McCreary County also has said she’s running.
Bunning is seen as vulnerable next year as Republicans struggle to hold onto at least 40 seats in the Senate in order to preserve their ability to filibuster Democratic legislation. So far, however, no Republican has indicated a willingness to take on Bunning in a Republican primary. State Sen. David Williams, R-Burkesville, is thought to be considering the race, however.
Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson has said he’d be interested – if Bunning were not to run. But he says he won’t challenge Bunning “a friend and mentor for many years.”
RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.
