Editing Jim Bunning (section)

===Aborted 2010 re-election campaign===
{{Main|2010 United States Senate election in Kentucky}}
[[File:Rand Paul & Jim Bunning by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|Bunning with his eventual successor, [[Rand Paul]]]]

In January 2009, when asked whether Bunning was the best candidate to run or whether there were better GOP candidates for Bunning's Senate seat, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman [[John Cornyn]] said: "I don't know. I think it's really up to Senator Bunning."  Bunning replied: "Anybody can run for anything they choose. I am gearing up, and I look forward to the challenge of taking on whoever comes out of the Democrat primary in May of 2010."<ref name="Politico-22Jan09">{{cite news |title=GOP pressures Bunning to quit |first1=Josh |last1=Kraushaar |first2=Manu |last2=Raju |date=January 22, 2009 |newspaper=Politico |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17785.html}}</ref> [[Kentucky State Senate]] President [[David L. Williams (politician)|David L. Williams]] was reportedly considering running against Bunning in the primary.<ref>{{cite news |author=Al Cross |title=As Conway announces, Senate race sharpens |date=April 12, 2009 |url= http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090412/COLUMNISTS12/904120352 |work=Louisville Courier-Journal}}</ref> Bunning responded by threatening to sue the [[National Republican Senatorial Committee]] if they recruited a candidate to run against him in the primary. He also attacked NRSC Chairman John Cornyn:

{{blockquote|The NRSC never helped me last time and they're probably not going to help me this time&nbsp;... [David Williams] owes me $30,000 and he said he'll repay me. I was short in my FEC money and he asked me if I would help save two state senate seats&nbsp;... I told him if I did it I would have to have it replaced at the first of the year. So far he has not.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bunning: "I would have a suit" if Republicans recruit an opponent |url=http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2009/02/24/bunning-i-would-have-a-suit-if-republicans-recruit-an-opponent/ |publisher=bluegrasspolitics |date=February 24, 2009 |author=John Stamper |access-date=February 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430234139/http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2009/02/24/bunning-i-would-have-a-suit-if-republicans-recruit-an-opponent/ |archive-date=April 30, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>}}

As of the end of September 2008, Bunning had $175,000 in his campaign account. By comparison, all other Republican senators facing competitive 2010 races had at least $850,000 at that point.<ref name="Politico-22Jan09" /> In the last quarter of 2008, the senator's campaign committee Citizens for Bunning had raised $27,000 from 26 separate contributions, ending the year with $150,000 in cash.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bunning's weak '08 fundraising raises more questions about 2010 run; Doubts continue growing despite vow to run in 2010 |url=http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090124/NEWS01/901240456 |author=James R. Carroll |work=Louisville Courier-Journal |date=January 24, 2009 }}</ref>  In mid-April, KYWORDSMITH.com reported that of the $263,000 that Bunning collected during the first quarter of 2009, over 77% ($203,383) was received from out of state, while over 10% ($28,100) was actually untouchable for another 13 months as it was contributed exclusively for use in a general election.<ref>[http://kywordsmith.com/#/exclusive-3/4533522960] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016134135/http://kywordsmith.com/#/exclusive-3/4533522960|date=October 16, 2015}}</ref>  Bunning had two fund raisers scheduled in the first half of April.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://newsandtribune.com/archive/x518756716/Bunning-says-fund-raising-picking-up-after-lousy-start |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909125800/http://newsandtribune.com/archive/x518756716/Bunning-says-fund-raising-picking-up-after-lousy-start |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 9, 2012 |date=March 31, 2009 |title=Bunning says fund raising picking up after "lousy" start; has two upcoming Kentucky fund raising events |author=Ronnie Ellis |work=New Albany Tribune and Jeffersonville Evening News }}</ref>

In an April 2009 poll, Bunning's approval rating was just 28%, and he trailed the four most likely Democratic candidates in hypothetical contests. 54% of voters in the state disapproved of Bunning's performance.<ref>Debnam, Dean (April 8, 2009). "Bunning in big trouble". Public Policy Polling, April 8, 2009. Retrieved on April 8, 2009 from [http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_KY_408.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815144010/http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_KY_408.pdf|date=August 15, 2009}}</ref>  [[Kentucky Secretary of State]] [[Trey Grayson]] announced on April 30, 2009, that he would form an exploratory committee to run for Bunning's seat. It was speculated that this was a precursor to Bunning's retirement.  "He (Bunning) told Trey to do this", one senior congressional official said of Bunning. "Why else would he tell his main rival to prepare for a run?" <ref name="l158">{{Cite web |last1=Kraushaar |first1=Josh |last2=Raju |first2=Manu |date=2009-04-30 |title=Bunning poised to retire |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2009/04/bunning-poised-to-retire-021956 |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=POLITICO}}</ref> However, Bunning said at a Lincoln Day dinner in Kentucky on May 9 that he still planned to run: "The battle is going to be long, but I am prepared to fight for my values."<ref>[http://kywordsmith.com/#/gopdinner/4533687284] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016134135/http://kywordsmith.com/#/gopdinner/4533687284|date=October 16, 2015}}</ref>

In a press conference on May 19, Bunning called fellow Kentuckian [[Senate Minority Leader]] [[Mitch McConnell]] a "[[control freak]]": "If Mitch McConnell doesn't endorse me, it could be the best thing that ever happened to me in Kentucky."<ref>{{cite news |title=Bunning calls McConnell a control freak |author=Politico|date= May 19, 2009 |url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/0509/Bunning_calls_McConnell_a_control_freak.html}}</ref>

On July 27, 2009, Bunning announced he would not run for re-election in 2010, blaming fellow Republicans for doing "everything in their power to dry up my fundraising."<ref>{{cite news |title=Bunning Will Not Seek Third Term; GOP Leaders Urged Senator to Retire |author= Ben Pershing and Chris Cillizza |date= July 28, 2009 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/27/AR2009072703026.html?hpid=politics |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>  On April 14, 2010, in a further show of disdain for GOP leadership and insiders, Bunning announced his support for outsider candidate [[Rand Paul]] over establishment favorite Trey Grayson.<ref>{{cite news |title= Senator Jim Bunning Endorses Rand Paul |work= Business Wire |date= April 14, 2010 |url= http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100414007028&newsLang=en}}</ref>