By RONNIE ELLIS
FRANKFORT — With embattled U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning’s statement this week he might rethink the 2010 Senate race if he doesn’t raise enough money for the campaign, two more Republicans are openly talking about getting in.
Bowling Green ophthalmologist Rand Paul, the son of presidential candidate Ron Paul, and Cathy Bailey, a prominent Louisville philanthropist and fundraiser who served as President George Bush’s ambassador to Latvia, are talking about the race with Paul sounding as if he’s already made his decision. State Secretary of State Trey Grayson is forming an exploratory committee – with Bunning’s blessing.
State Senate President David Williams was thought earlier to be considering the race and state Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr said last week she might run if Bunning doesn’t.
Paul has said he isn’t likely to run if Bunning stays in the race – something Bunning has said over and over he will do. Paul agrees with Bunning’s criticism of the Federal Reserve and votes against the federal stimulus and corporate bailouts. But he thinks Bunning may be setting the table to get out and secure the nomination for Grayson.
“If you’re running and telling reporters it depends on how much money you raise, then why would you consider urging someone else like Trey Grayson to get in and start raising money?” Paul asked.
Grayson has said he “has no plans” to challenge Bunning whom he describes as a “long time friend and mentor.” And Bunning said the exploratory committee allows Grayson to travel the state, raise money and prepare him for any federal race.
Paul and Bailey seem well positioned for raising money. Bailey is a successful political and philanthropic fundraiser, a “Ranger” in Bush’s campaigns, a distinction based on the amount of money she raised. Paul said his father developed a list of 800,000 contributors when he ran for president and Rand Paul said he traveled to 10 states campaigning and raising money for his father’s campaign.
“This is not a sideshow campaign,” Paul said, sounding more like he’s already decided to run. “I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think I can raise $2 million for the primary.”
.Bunning reported raising only $263,000 for the first quarter and said he must have $1 million by the end of 2009. He said the race will ultimately cost between $7 million and $10 million. But his lackluster fundraising has fueled talk in his own party he can’t win.
Paul objects to the perception that Grayson might be the choice of establishment Republican insiders if Bunning withdraws.
“People don’t like being told what to do,” Paul said. “Republicans are independent thinkers.”
Bailey thinks Republicans should debate who should be their standard bearer in 2010.
“Our party needs to engage in a very healthy, transparent debate about who our nominee will be,” Bailey said. She said she’s “had discussions” with others in her party about the race but hasn’t felt pressure either to run or to defer to Grayson. She hasn’t seen any evidence the party establishment has settled on Grayson but said Republicans “feel uncomfortable” with the idea that party leaders will arbitrarily choose a favored candidate.
Paul also took a shot at Grayson who he said, “tells us Bunning is his mentor and then the next thing he does, he goes out and hires McConnell’s pollster.” Grayson hired Jan R. van Lohizen of Voter/Consumer Research for polling, the same firm used by McConnell.
Bailey thinks the Republican Party, while doing well in Kentucky, is “at a low point and shrinking” nationally and should reach out to women and Hispanics. Kerr, the state senator considering the race, recently touched on the same theme, saying her party shouldn’t only “consider white males of a certain age group.”
Bailey touts her experience in foreign policy but said she’s also concerned with the domestic agenda pursued by Obama and Democrats. Like Paul, she credits Bunning for his votes on those kinds of issues.
Paul was active in the Tea Party protests over federal bailouts, federal spending and debt and calling for lower taxes. He said he represents conservative Republicans who think their party has strayed from its basic principles and calls himself “a non-traditional outsider.”
On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo, who narrowly lost to Bunning in the 2004 race, is running along with Attorney General Jack Conway and former U.S. Customs agent Darlene Fitzgerald Price.
RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.
