Bunning won’t run for re-election; blames GOP

Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) will not run for re-election and is blaming his fellow Senate Republicans for making it financially impossible for him to campaign.

“To win a general election, a candidate has to be able to raise millions of dollars to get the message out to voters,” Bunning said in a statement today. “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 fundraising. The simple fact is that I have not raised the funds necessary to run an effective campaign for the U.S. Senate. For this reason, I will not be a candidate for re-election in 2010.”

Though Bunning didn’t mention any colleagues in particular, he has previously called out Minority Leader and fellow Kentuckian Mitch McConnell (R) for hampering his fundraising ability.

Bunning has had a poor fundrasing performance recently, raising just about $300,000 for his re-election campaign.

Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R) formed an exploratory committee several months ago and is expected to formerly enter the race now that Bunning has bowed out.