2008 could be a big year for Indiana's top Democrat

South Bend Tribune ^ | November 14, 2004 | Jack Colwell

[ConservativeStatement]

Who next for 2008? One prospect on virtually every list in speculation by the news media and by Democratic leaders is Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana. As usual, Indiana was one of the first states declared on election night to be colored red, the color now used on the maps to designate that a state has gone Republican. Heck, Indiana could have been declared for President Bush long before the first ballots were marked. In fact, both Kerry and Bush strategists long ago knew that Indiana would landslide for the president. Neither side bothered to bring their campaign to the state.

[ConservativeStatement]

No! Like Hannity says "Run, Hillary, run!"

[muawiyah]

Bayh cannot get national Democrat support. He's wasting his time!

[Finalapproach29er]

He scares me. But Democrats are too looney to nominate him.

[Calusa]

He's probably a decent guy. Reminds me of his fellow Hoosier , Dan Quayle. But, he would still just be the figurehead for the decaying and corrupt democrat party.

[RayChuang88]

Actually, Senator Bayh may be just the person that the Democrats need to recover from too much pandering to the northeastern "elite" liberals and the Hollywood Left. Bayh has these advantages: 1) he's from the Midwest (and that means most of the "battleground" state votes) and 2) he was a former Governor of Indiana (that counts a LOT nowadays). He and newly-elected Senators Barack Obama (D-Illinois) and Ken Salazar (D-Colorado) may just try to pull it off within the next two years.

[pctech]

Bayh is just like his liberal mentors in the Senate, like Kerry and Kennedy. Just because he's from Indiana doesn't make him a decent guy. If he was elected he would be just as liberal as any other demorat out there. I know, I'm from Indiana.

[RW1974]

If the Dems nominate a centrist in 2008 I expect Michael Moore to run as a third party candidate - possibly on the Green ticket.

[Let's Roll]

FWIW as far as picking up many GWB voters, my conservative Hoosier relatives don't like him.

[chimera]

I'm wondering what kind of a record in the Senate Mr. Bayh has built for himself? Has he been there long enough to do that? I know the Bayh name is popular in Indiana so I am wondering if he hasn't parlayed that into statewide popularity. If so (and I'm not sure it it), trying to extend that to the national level without any kind of record of achievement on his own would be a risky strategy.

That's not to say it couldn't work. Clinton did much the same thing in '92. All he had on his record was that he wasn't George H. W. Bush. But the 'Rat nominee can't run against George W. Bush in '08. He can run against Bush by proxy if things are not going to well in '08 (as was perceived to be the case in '92) and the 'Can standardbearer is seen as the inheritor of the Bush legacy. OTOH, if things are going well, then no statewide popularity in a Midwestern state will likely help Sen. Bayh at the national level.

He'd also be bucking the tide of history if he is still in the Senate. Recent trends have been to not elevate sitting Senators to the Presidency. I'm thinking the 'Rats may heed the advice of some in '08 and try someone from the South who is or was governor of state.

[arasina]

If he was elected he would be just as liberal as any other demorat out there. I know, I'm from Indiana.

He is already a liberal when it comes to voting. He talks a good "bipartisan" game when he's being interviewed on television. His opponent in this year's election, Marvin Scott, pointed that out in his campaign ads. There are still far too many "free cheese" voters in Indiana or Bayh would've been defeated.

[John Robertson]

Yeah, but would Bayh peel off Indiana?

[timestax]

ping

[CasearianDaoist]

No they probably will nominate him. Look for Bayh/Richardson as the ticket. The Rats will nominate anyone that will get elected at this point - even if he went around blowing up abortion clinics. Once they are in power the can start dismantling any opposition. All they need is to get in. 06 will not be a cakewalk either.

We could lose several Red states with this line up. We must not think that the coalition that brought the impressive win this year is anything but deeply fragile. We must not kid ourselves: 08 will be much tougher than 04.

[curmudgeonII]

It is unlikely that Senator Evan Bayh has ever uttered an original thought in public. Every move on his part has been very carefully orchestrated by his father [also a Demo Senator from Indiana] Birch.

Evan's chances of pulling Indiana into the Democratic column, if he is on the ticket, vary between slim and none.

[ConservativeStatement]

This may help you:

http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Evan_Bayh.htm

[doug from upland]

I have been talking about him for a few years. He absolutley could be the next president if he can make it through their primaries. That is a toss up.

[Southack]

Democrats have 17 Senate seats up for re-election in 2006, plus Jumpin' Jim Jefford's seat makes 18.

Republicans have to defend 15 seats.

So the simple math is that the Dems will again lose Senate seats in 2006 (they are starting out with a -3 disadvantage).

The more complicated math is that the Democrats have 4 Senate seats up in 2006 in Red States. So instead of starting out -3, Democrats are really starting 2006 with a -7.

Now granted, by the time 2008 rolls around they may still be grasping for Senator Bayh, but it will be difficult for a *Senator* to gain respect and popularity during the '08 Democratic Party primaries due to 2004 and 2006 Senate losses. So while I wouldn't rule Bayh out, he starts 2008 with some substantial disadvantages.

The Dems' anti-gay candidate, Governor Richardson in New Mexico, will certainly be on their short list...as will his fellow Red State Democratic governors Bresedon in TN and Warner in VA.

Because if Dems can't flip a red state or two to blue, then they will again lose in 2008. This means that they will have to either abandon their NY/MA/CA candidates for President or face another election drubbing.

So I'd guess that they'd prefer a Red State Democratic governor for their Presidential ticket first, or a Red State Senator if they don't go for a governor.

If they run Bresedon, then we counter with Frist. If they run Gov Rendell from PA, then we counter with Santorum (as VP). Running Warner or Richardson would be slightly more problematic, though we have plenty of Indianna options to counter Bayh.

[RichardW]

I think you're right. He would also likely pull Ohio next door. That would be tough to beat two reliably Republican states in a national election.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

I like Senator Bayh. If he had an ounce of common sense and some smarts, he would switch to become a Republican. I predict the idiots in the "Traitor" Democrat Party will go further to the left. The current left-wing Democrat Party is no place for Evan Bayh. The party is secular, pro-abortion, anti-war, anti-American, socialist, favors appeasement, is for gay marriage, anti-Israel, hates Christians, hates Jews that support Israel, etc. There is no room in the current Democrat Party for either conservatives or moderates. The current party needs to be totally destroyed at the ballot box. It has outlived its usefulness!!!

[ConservativeStatement]

I am a strict Republican but Bayh is at least lucid from his TV appearances. I would never vote for him because he is a Dem but I can tolerate some in their appearances. Strategist Pat Caddell is another. Most Democrats are not. They come across as haughty (like Kerry), ignorant (like Daschle -- hey, he lost!) or loudmouths (like H. Clinton, Kennedy, Pelosi, Murray, and hundreds more)