KyKurmudgeon

Sunday’s column:

After stubbornly hanging in the game for months over the (at least tacit) objections of prominent teammates, U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning finally signaled the Republican bullpen last week.

It was an acknowledgement of what had been obvious to many state and national observers for some time: He simply didn’t have the stuff to close out a win in a 2010 bid for re-election.

But as he headed to the political showers, the Hall of Fame pitcher added to his reputation for odd behavior by failing to call for a specific reliever.

Earlier this year, in what turned out to be a sign of things to come, Bunning encouraged his friend and protege, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, to form an exploratory committee for the 2010 Senate race. Grayson acted on that advice and raised about twice the money Bunning did in the latest three-month reporting period.

Logic suggested that, having invited Grayson to prepare for a possible race, Bunning would endorse him once he decided to end his own campaign. But logic and Bunning often travel separate paths.

Nonetheless, his exit clearly established Grayson, a two-time statewide winner, as the Republican frontrunner.
Sure, Bowling Green ophthalmologist Rand Paul, son of former presidential candidate and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, may know how to stage an Internet money “bomb.” And Louisville’s Cathy Bailey earned an appointment as ambassador to Latvia due to her ability to raise money for former President George W. Bush.

But neither potential candidate has a statewide profile comparable to Grayson’s. And at the moment, Grayson’s only announced opposition is Bill Johnson, a relatively unknown Todd County businessman.

With Bunning’s departure and Grayson’s ascendency from exploratory to definite candidate, the bar has been raised considerably for Democrats.

Against the man widely described as the most vulnerable incumbent in the Senate, Democrats had reason to feel confident with either of their Tier 1 contenders — Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo or Attorney General Jack Conway —  as the party’s nominee. Now, though, each candidate must be evaluated on the basis of how he might fare head-to-head against Grayson, arguably the best candidate Republicans can field.

So far, Conway has proven to be the better fund-raiser. But Mongiardo may be more in line with the conservative political leanings of Kentucky voters.

So, Democrats face a tough choice.

Do they go with the guy most capable of matching Grayson (who is sure to be well-financed) dollar for dollar and ad for ad? Or do they choose the guy who may be able to neutralize Grayson on issues in conservative regions such as Western Kentucky?

Bunning did not leave the field without assigning a little blame for his departure to his teammates. “Over the past year, some of the leaders of the Republican Party in the Senate have done everything in their power to dry up my fund-raising,” he said.

Although he didn’t name names, the one most likely to have been in his head when he prepared that portion of the statement was that of former friend and fellow Kentuckian, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Over the last several months, McConnell turned his back on Bunning the same way he shunned former Gov. Ernie Fletcher during the depths of his scandal-plagued administration.

McConnell has a well-earned reputation as the savviest and most influential politician in recent Kentucky history. But at some point you have to wonder: How many “friends” can he sacrifice in pursuit of his own political motives before his aura starts to fade?