By Carrie Pond
Frankfort, KY – Looking ahead to the 2010 U-S Senate Race, Kentuckians are wondering if it will feature a Bunning-Mongiardo rematch. Lieutenant Governor Dan Mongiardo was a state Senator when he challenged Jim Bunning in 2004. For his part, the 77-year-old Republican Incumbent says he's in the race.
"Emphatically, right now absolutely no doubt. Barring an unusual occurrence - like death."
Mongiardo says it's too early to think about another Senate run.
"It has crossed my mind on occasion but because of the problems we're facing right now in this state -and in this country- we're really got our heads down trying to figure out the problems that we're faced with on a daily basis. That's two years off; the decision for someone running is several months away."
Mongiardo says any incumbent is hard to defeat, but he thinks Senator Bunning is vulnerable. The Northern Kentucky Republican defeated Mongiardo last time by about one percent.