I wondered if wikipedia was keeping a break-neck pace with the developments of the 2010 Kentucky US Senate race — tied with the situation in Illinois as most dysfunctional item of political theater.

The answer has gone from no to yes.  The opening states the situation in a broad outline —

Incumbent senator Jim Bunning was re-elected with 51% of the vote in 2004. He announced his intention to run again, and says he will need to raise $10 million for his reelection.^[1] In 2010, Bunning will be 79 years old. National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman John Cornyn is pressuring Bunning to retire due to fears he could lose a reelection bid.^[2] Despite this, Bunning has reiterated that he is running for reelection.[3]

 some more details are found within the “Possible Candidates” section:

Kentucky State Senate President David Williams is likely to run for the seat whether or not Bunning does,^[6] as he is being actively recruited by the NRSC.^[7] This has resulted in a threat from Bunning to sue the NRSC and any potential Republican challengers,^[8][9] and a threat to resign, which would allow Democratic Governor Steve Beshear to appoint his replacement.[10]

A bit more background on why Jim Bunning is getting bum-rushed by his party: He’s Senile, and was increasingly erratic in that 2004 bid where he barely edged out Generic Unknown Democrat off of the coat-tails of a National Presidential campaign.

But the other two “Possible Candidates” are pretty interesting.  Tim Couch.  Is Kentucky ready to trade in a Hall of Fame Baseball Player for a failed NFL Quarterback?  The other “Possible Candidate”?

Apparently Ron Paul’s son lives in Kentucky.  And, like father like son, looks to be considering a career in politics (though only if Bunning doesn’t run).  I’m sure that would bring out the Ron Paul Republican Supporters in droves.  Ron Paul’s son’s name?

Rand Paul.
Rand Paul.
I said Ron Paul (and wife) named their son “Rand Paul.”

That’s a two-fer there.  Not only did Ron Paul name his son something that approximated his own name but he also put in the name of one of his ideological idols — Ayn Rand.

Is Rand Paul’s younger brother John Galt Ron?  Did Rand Paul’s conception take place with the Rush “2112” concept album blaring in the background, happening sometime in the seventh minute of hte opening clatter in “The Temples of Syrinx”, just before the belting out out of “We are the priests!  Of the Temples!  Of Syrinx!”

No, really.  Ron Paul named his son Rand Paul.

Sheesh.

In other news of the parties building up for the 2010 Senate campaign, historic Jeopardy conteststant Ken Jennings responds to having his name inserted into a poll.

Apparently Utah is such a red state that all you have to do there is not register as a Republican (I’m pretty sure I declared no party affiliation last time I registered there) and national polls will start running your name up the flagpole. I don’t even live in the state anymore and I’m still the second-most attractive candidate! […]

I don’t know if Kos knows this, but it is true that I fielded some phone calls from Senate party leaders in 2005, wondering if I’d want to run for Orrin Hatch’s seat. Why not? You were on a game show! I thought this was a pretty sad sign for American democracy, but did think it would be funny if I ran. I could announce, not on Larry King or Meet the Press, but on Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? I’d hate campaigning, but just try to stump me with questions about world capitals or the last books I read, Katie Couric!

I honestly can’t tell if Kennings is kidding about being contacted, but it wouldn’t be entirely surprising.  It appears that there are three Democrats in the state of Utah:  Jim Matheson, former Salt Lake mayor Rocky Anderson, and this guy Pete Ashdown.  Matheson is one of the more conservative congressional Democrats, and I imagine the only way some less conservative Democrat would be sent to Washington is if the electoral map were drawn to have a district encircle Salt Lake City instead of how the Republicans in the state have crafted it for their advantage of slicing the city evenly.  Hence Rocky Anderson ended with his stint at Mayor, and that’s as far as he is going.  Pete Ashdown’s campaign made the cover of Wired and was endorsed by boing boing, but for some reason that great “Boing Boing” endorsement was not enough to persuade the state of Utah to push aside Orrin Hatch.  At any rate, Ashdown is coming off of a bruising imaginary governor’s race :

— so there’s nowhere else to turn.

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