KY Lt. Gov. Will Challenge Sen. Jim Bunning In 2010
Democrats have just picked up a top-tier candidate for Senate in Kentucky for 2010, with Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo announcing his candidacy against Republican incumbent Jim Bunning.
Back in 2004, Mongiardo came out of nowhere and very nearly defeated Bunning, making it a 51-49 race despite having been a no-name state Senator who was vastly outspent in a red state and in a Republican year. And since then his stock has gone up with his election as Lt. Governor.
The possibility exists that Bunning might retire -- he'll be 79 on Election Day, and his close call in 2004 was caused in many ways by his own gaffes on the campaign trail -- but so far he hasn't given any indication in that direction. Keep an eye on this race, as it could be one of the pivotal campaigns of 2010.
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Dr. Dan's going to lose the primary and lose it big. If he's very lucky, he'll come in a poor second to Attorney General Jack Conway.
Otherwise, he's destined for a 4th or 5th place finish in a 10-candidate field.
Dan Mongiardo should have beaten Jim "non compos mentis" Bunning by five points in 2004 - outspent in a republican year and all.
Know why he didn't? Because thousands of liberal Kentucky Democrats would rather chew off their own arms than vote for the asshole who sponsored the 2004 gay-hate marriage amendment.
We refused to endorse Dr. Dan's homophobic agenda four years ago, and we're not going to endorse it two years from now.
If the GOP can't force Bunning out of the race in favor of Secretary of State Trey Grayson, they're praying Mongiardo is their opponent.
But like all their prayers since 2006, the answer to that one's going to be "No."
January 26, 2009 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bunning has been delivering contrary hints as to whether he will run again, but a big reason people think he will (and Republicans really really hope he will) retire is his dreadful fundraising. Bunning just released the latest financial report, and it is truly dismal.
January 26, 2009 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Let's not beat around the bush here. Bunning's gaffes are much more than just gaffes.
In the 2004 campaign he proved himself to be either very stupid or totally out of it and possibly senile, not that further proof was really needed.
That's a big reason why he's so vulnerable and why the 2004 race was so close. Even some loyal KY GOP voters don't want their state represented by someone like Bunning.
January 26, 2009 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Back before I left Kentucky in the 80s, Bunning was one of those guys who ran in every race and rarely won any of them because he was well-known for not exactly being the sharpest knife in the Republicans' Commonwealth drawer. It's not like the guy had excess generating capacity even before time took its awful toll on his grid.
Not that that would worry the Republicans if they thought they could keep his seat. Look at the eight year "Weekend at Bernie's" act they did with Strom Thurman.
January 26, 2009 12:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Also, Governor Beshear just issued a statement wishing Mongiardo and his wife, the child bride "the best."
Conspicuously missing? Anything remotely resembling an endorsement.
That's because the guv, the Democratic leadership in the General Assembly, the state's pissed-off and looking-for-revenge liberals and every Democrat with a lick of sense are supporting Conway.
Full disclosure: My preferred candidate is Andrew Horne, who would have beaten Mitch McConnell last year if Chuck Schumer and Beshear hadn't knee-capped him.
BUT Conway's got inevitability written all over him, unless he competely fucks up in the next year, which is not impossible, and which is why the Democratic primary field is going to be extremely crowded.
January 26, 2009 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
He wasn't Schumer's first stab-in-the-back. He did the same thing to Hackett in Ohio. He had Reed's help. They begged Hackett to run after Brown opted out. Brown changed his mind after the campaign started they MADE Hackett drop out. Without the DSCC help he would be down the tubes. As such, they lost a viable, electable, veteran and bright candidate.
January 26, 2009 1:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bunning is out there railing against the stimulus....it shouldn't be hard to paint him and all the rest of these Repubs as obstructing the chnage we need, and that we demanded on Nov. 4th.
So where the hell are you, Congressional D's?
January 26, 2009 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
the "change" we need.....
Good grief, I need a vacation.
January 26, 2009 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink