By Jack Brammer | Lexington Herald-Leader

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Secretary of State Trey Grayson's exploratory committee for a possible U.S. Senate bid will report raising $602,699 from more than 1,150 donors in less than two months.

"I am humbled by the outpouring of support from men and women across Kentucky," Grayson said in a statement Monday. "As I traveled around the Commonwealth the last few weeks, the encouragement I received was overwhelming and confirmed the solid base of support I am finding for a run for U.S. Senate."

Grayson initially said he has no plans to run for the office if fellow Republican incumbent Jim Bunning seeks re-election. Recently he has said he has no plans at this time to run if Bunning is in the race.

Bunning, considered vulnerable by many, had no immediate comment on Grayson's report. Bunning has said he plans to run again but that he will reassess his campaign efforts after seeing how much money he can raise in the second quarter of the year.

Bunning, a Hall of Fame pitcher who was the first to record 100 wins and 1,000 strikeouts in both the American and National Leagues, raised only $262,980 in the first quarter of this year and has said he will need about $7 million to run against a Democratic challenger.

Read more at Kentucky.com

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