Bunning calls McConnell a 'control freak'
Posted: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 1:00 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Republicans, 2010
From NBC's Doug Adams
The bizarre Kentucky Senate race took another wild turn today as GOP Sen. Jim Bunning once again blasted his fellow Kentucky Republican -- Mitch McConnell, the Senate's top Republican.
In a conference call with reporters, Bunning called McConnell a "control freak" and said McConnell's animus is an asset. "If Mitch McConnell doesn't endorse me, that may be the best thing that could happen to me in Kentucky." It should be noted that McConnell is the most popular Republican in the state.
Bunning acknowledged that McConnell has told him he's "too old" and can't win re-election in 2010. Bunning continues to insist that he'll seek a third term next year. But his fundraising has been abysmal, and early polls show that he would be trounced by Democrats in 2010.
Bunning's comments follow his barbs from two weeks ago, when he criticized McConnell's leadership. "Do you realize that under the dynamic leadership of our leader, we have gone from 55 [seats] and probably to 40 in two election cycles? And if the tea leaves that I read are correct, we will wind up with about 36 after this election cycle."
The feud between Kentucky's two Republican senators has been raging for weeks, with Bunning making a string of strange -- and sometimes conflicting -- statements. For example, he encouraged Kentucky Secretary of State Republican
Trey Grayson to launch a Senate exploratory committee, even though he would be running against Bunning. And Bunning claims to be planning several fundraisers in the coming weeks, but won't give any details about them. He raised only $263,000 last quarter, for a race that is sure to cost upwards of $10 million.
As one long-time political observer noted -- while it's possible that Bunning, the former Hall of Fame pitcher, is crafty enough to have Grayson warming in the bullpen to keep other potential candidates out of the primary, Bunning has never shown that level of "crafty deception" in the past.
But wait, it gets better: Also potentially running in the GOP primary is ...
Ron Paul's son,
Rand Paul, an ophthalmologist who lives in Bowling Green, KY. Rand Paul says he is weighing a Senate run, and would likely have the support of his father's network of donors. Ron Paul raised $35 million for his presidential run last year.
