FRANKFORT — Embattled U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning Friday issued a denial to reports he’d threatened to resign his Senate seat if Republican Party leaders don’t fully support his re-election bid.

“It’s not true,” Bunning said in a statement issued by his Washington office. “I intend to fulfill my obligation to the people of Kentucky.”

Bunning was traveling in western Kentucky, touring areas damaged by the winter ice storms that left more than 769,000 without power earlier this month when reports of the alleged threat appeared on the Web site of The Courier-Journal and PageOneKentucky.com. The Courier-Journal quoted unnamed sources who said Bunning had told people at a Washington D.C. fundraiser for his re-election that he might resign if party leaders try to diminish his ability to raise money for the 2010 campaign.

“If you are going to write something like this, you’d better make your sources known because they are lying,” Bunning said.

If Bunning resigned, that would allow Kentucky Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear to name a replacement and drop the number of Senate Republicans below 40 – the bare minimum necessary to sustain a filibuster.

Bunning was first elected in 1998 by a narrow 23,000 vote margin and then re-elected by less than 2 percentage points in 2004. But Republicans have fared poorly in the last two election cycles, losing the White House to Democrat Barack Obama in 2008 and losing 13 Senate seats combined in 2006 and 2008. Bunning is thought to be vulnerable in 2010 and some in the party have appeared to be trying to pressure him to step aside.

Kentucky’s senior Republican Senator, Mitch McConnell, the Republi-can Senate Leader, and Texas Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign, said earlier this year they were unsure of Bunning’s intentions about 2010. But Bunning told reporters he’d told both of his intentions to run for re-election.

Last week, state Sen. President David Williams, R-Burkesville, reportedly met with NRSC staff to discuss the race. That meeting was later confirmed by NRSC staff who called it a “courtesy visit.” Williams has refused to say if he discussed the race with NRSC officials, but he said he’s keeping his options open “about future races.” Cornyn subsequently said the NRSC will support Bunning should there be a Republican primary.

Republican Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson has said he might consider the race but won’t run in a primary against Bunning, a long-time friend. Bowling Green eye doctor, Rand Paul, the son of former Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul who ran unsuccessfully last year for the Republican presidential nomination, has also said he might enter the race. Roger Thoney, a former engineer from northern Kentucky, has said he will run as a Republican.

On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo – who lost to Bunning in 2004 – has announced he will run. Other Democrats who have expressed interest in the race are Attorney General Jack Conway and Auditor Crit Luallen. Darlene Fitzgerald Price, a former customs agent from McCreary County, has said she is running for the Democratic nomination, too.

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