Jim Bunning Threatens To Resign From Senate To Hurt GOP

The Louisville Courier-Journal has another bombshell about Sen. Jim Bunning, the embattled Republican who is increasingly going rogue in an effort to hold onto his seat.

In recent weeks, Senate Republican leaders have walked right up to the edge of declaring open war on Bunning. Minority Leader (and fellow Kentucky senator) Mitch McConnell and others reportedly believe Bunning is likely to lose his reelection race in 2010, and so are trying to nudge him into retirement by sending signals that the party establishment will not back him.

Bunning has responded aggressively, threatening to sue the Senate Republicans' campaign arm if it doesn't fully back his reelection.

And now the latest: Bunning "reportedly said privately that if he is hindered in raising money for his re-election campaign he is ready with a response that would be politically devastating for Senate Republicans: his resignation."

The Kentucky Republican suggested that possible scenario at a campaign fundraiser for him on Capitol Hill earlier this week, according to three sources who asked not to be identified because of the politically sensitive nature of Bunning's remarks.

The implication, they said, was that Bunning would allow Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, a Democrat, to appoint his replacement -- a move that could give Democrats the 60 votes they need to block Republican filibusters in the Senate.

"I would get the last laugh. Don't forget Kentucky has a Democrat governor," one of the sources quoted Bunning as saying.

"The only logical extension of that comment is, '(Make me mad) ... enough and I'll resign, and then you've got 60 Democrats,' " said another source who was present at the event.

Read the full story here.

A Democratic Senate aide told the Huffington Post's Ryan Grim: "Bunning has always been a loose cannon. It's just surprising that Mitch McConnell decided to light a match so close to him. With only 41 Republicans left, you'd think they'd be a little more careful not to actively alienate members of the caucus."

Comments

[Greg285]

These clowns are starting to turn on one another like a rabid dog! They just don't get it, Americans have spoken and they do not care what the GOP has to say anymore...

[NeoStar9]

McConnell is really stupid.

[kjstjohn]

Hurrah for the moderator who let you post that comment!!!!!!

[NKR]

"I would get the last laugh. Don't forget Kentucky has a Democrat governor"

LOVE THIS GUY. How great would it be if a Republican screwed his party over like that?

[trying-to-be-objective]

Once again, a Republican acting in his own self-interest, instead of in the interest of being a representative of his constituents. Have they all forgotten they are supposed to be representing the people of their districts?

Ah, well, maybe the people will be better represented if he resigns.

[HalfPastLate]

The rest of CONGRESS should RESIGN as well then "WE THE PEOPLE" can get the support the country needs. .

CONGRESS has forgotten the reason they were elected.

When the framers of the Constitution started there was no example of Democracy to draw on so they included the preamble to specify the reasons WHY the Constitution was WRITTEN.

The Union is deteriorating; Justice is relegated to those who can afford it; there is NO domestic Tranquility; common Defense is questionable; and, GENERAL WELFARE needs to apply to ALL the people.

[dawlishgal]

Republicans have never represented the ordinary people. They use racism and selfishness as their main appeals, and then the social-Darwinism view that people wouldn't be rich or poor unless God wanted them to be. Then, when they get elected, they cater to the richest of the rich, and increase the difference between them and everybody else. And, if anybody calls them on it, they will call the whistle-blower a monger of class warfare.

I have a friend, a historian, who says that Republicans would never win national elections if they were to admit what they have always been (and always will be) up to.

What is incredible is that 1/3 of the country still seems to believe their garbage and seems to have no shame whatsoever for giving us 8 years of Bush.

[DickTater]

Very true. Their constituents are basically CORPORATIONS. The rest of their time they spend fooling the people in their districts that what they are doing is good for the avg. joe, or outright lying to them.

[Janus]

Bunning seems, well, eccentric many times in the Senate chamber. It's time that he be replaced by the voters at least. However, the rulers of the Commonwealth will likely financially assist his campaign in an effort to keep him in light of the 60-vote Senate rule..

Even if Bunning is defeated , the Country will be burdened by the presence of the contemptible, just-reelected McConnell for another six years. This is a clown who never lost any sleep over those not found in the aristocracy of the Commonwealth nor in the national ranks of plutocrats.

[BillMelater]

No honor amongst thieves...

[agentnooch]

he told us different at http://www.thenoz.wordpress.com

[winnie47]

Ah, don't you love to see the GOP tear itself apart right before our eyes? This group of geniuses has decided, that, reality be damned, they lost the last 2 election cycles by not going FAR ENOUGH to the right! Let's hope the keep veering that way and fall off the cliff!

[leorising]

Tee hee hee!

"Schadenfreude" is such a great word, we really must thank the Germans...

[Donnat]

I love it - esp. that Cornyn, the Bush rubber stamp, is caught up in all of it and Bunning is blaming him for it. Cornyn has never done a thing for Texas, I'm surprised he didn't resign to become Bush's cabana boy after he left office. All he ever wanted to do was bend over for Bush.

[niblik]

While I have been enjoying the GOP crazyness since the election I do have concerns that Democrats could fall into the same cycle: self-defeating infighting.

[imfedup]

The plot thickens!!!

[lizr]

Oh it makes me laugh!

so enjoyjng the implosion of the Reps!

[WakeMeUpNow]

Mitch McConnell, you should resign as well!

[soulfulnotes]

Please do, Mr. Bunning.

[Indie2008]

"You be da man", Jim, go for it!

[billyjoeloubob]

I suspect Arlen Specter has been pulling this same move behind the scenes ever since Ed Rendell became governor. Only now that there's a crisis in the Republican party so things are kept less "quiet".

[Tom Joad]

why resign? just join the dems and vote with us...c'mon, it'll be fun!

[AlaninElkGrove]

...in the true spirit of bi-partisanship...