Posted on 02/02/2010 8:14:45 PM PST by nhwingut
INDIANAPOLIS - Informed and reliable sources are telling Howey Politics Indiana that former U.S. Sen. Dan Coats will announce Wednesday he will challenge U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh.
The source, former aide Curt Smith of the Indiana Family Institute, said that Coats knows he has about two weeks to gather the 4,500 signatures - 500 per Congressional district - in two weeks.
Coats was up for re-election in 1998 when he decided to retire, citing the pressures of constant fundraising. Bayh went on that year to defeat former Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke to reclaim his father's Senate seat.
Coats was almost named President George W. Bush's Defense Secretary instead of Donald Rumsfeld, and later was named ambassador to Germany.
Coats would join the Republican field that includes State Sen. Marlin Stutzman, plumber Richard Behney, former Congressman John Hostettler and Winchester financier Don. Bates Jr,
Coats entered Congress by winning Dan Quayle's House seat in 1980, then was appointed by Gov. Robert D. Orr to fill Quayle's Senate seat when he ascended to the vice presidency n 1989.
Developing ....
(Excerpt) Read more at howeypolitics.com ...
Gee, a retread.
Damn dude.
The guy who was scared out in 1998.
Is this good?
This is BIG NEWS...
We FINALLY have someone who can actually Challenge Evan Bayh!!
I’m from Indiana and I didn’t see that one coming.
As far as I can tell, Coats is yesterday’s news. Given that he dropped out in 1998 and is running now screams opportunism.
I don’t think anybody saw this one coming. I haven’t heard his name in forever and didn’t know he was ambassador to Germany.
Challenge Bayh !?!? This is the coward who RAN away from facing Bayh in 1998, handing the seat to him on a silver platter ! Is this some sort of a joke ?!?
Given that he dropped out in 1998 and is running now screams opportunism.
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Anytime you run against someone with the Last name “Bayh” in Indiana, that is NOT opportunism.
What it screams is HONESTY....
Brutal, and straight up honesty. And he’s the best chance we have to openly defeat Evan Bayh.
His record is impeccable, and hell, he could run for PRESIDENT with his qualifications. I could be a bit biased, though, as he was my Congressional rep.
My feeling is not everyone is going to be a leader. If we get enough true conservatives—who used to be called liberals—before statism took over, then they will go along with the party. The Tea Party has to hit critical mass within the Republican Party. The good thing is that in so many places, NY, CA, Ill and other states the party is so decimated that taking control of it will not be very difficult. If one third of the seats go to true conservatives that should be enough to carry the day.
Coats was a good conservative, so is Hostettler but Daniels would be better, he’s the sitting Governor and would have a better chance.
Who is else is making the race? I know Pence bailed. Coats maybe a good care taker until the Indiana folks can groom a good young conservative. Our version of Frank Lautenberg.
Perhaps we ought to ask one of the Quayle kids to run against Evan Bayh. After all, Dan Quayle beat Birch Bayh. Let’s make a family feud in IN: Bayh vs Quayle.
Just before Scott Brown’s victory, a web site listed side by side comparion of reports on the Senate races. The Cook Report, Larry Sabato of Uni of Vir, and a few other polsters and pudits who do a pretty good jobs.
The absolute safest Dem in the 2010 elections for the Senate was Bayh. Everyone thought he was a shoo in. All 5 of the analysts said he was the safest. Safer than Boxer, Gillibrand and other Dems in more liberal states like IL.
I thought a younger guy was thinking about it. I forget his name. Not John Hotstetler (sp?) who is a good guy.
If we can get Bayh in trouble then no one is safe. IN has Lilly and Stryker I think? Medical companies - the Dems have to go. Obama will destroy this country.
Former Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN):
“Coats (R-IN), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement, ‘While there is clearly much more we need to learn about this attack and why it was ordered today, given the president’s personal difficulties this week, it is legitimate to question the timing of this action.‘” [CNN, 8/20/98]
Dan Quayle is a good man. He was smeared by the libs like Sarah is getting.
I like John Hotstetler too.
All I can say is let bygones be Bayh Gone !
Daniels won’t run for Senate, and it’s said his wife wants him to get out of politics.
He’s grooming Becky Skillman to take his place, and even Democrats admit she is one hell of an administrator.
That said, Dan Coats announcing comes totally unexpected, out of left field, but I’ll bet his buddy Greg Garrison has been egging him on for months to do it.
For those of you outside of Indiana, take a look at his resume, both in Congress, AND afterward. it’s long as it is wide.
This is the SHORT Version:
“Senator Dan Coats is a senior policy advisor in King & Spalding’s Government Advocacy and Public Policy Practice Group. Senator Coats joined King & Spalding after serving as U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany from August 2001 to February 2005. A former member of Congress, Senator Coats represented Indiana in the United States Senate from 1989 to 1999, and in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1988.
While in Congress, Senator Coats was a member of several high-profile committees, including the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He also was a member of the Senate leadership, serving as Midwest Regional Whip. In the Senate, Senator Coats focused on national security, health care, education and human resources issues. He was a strong advocate of a bipartisan approach to national security issues, and joined with Democrats such as Senator Joseph Lieberman in pursuing several defense reform and transformation initiatives.
Upon his retirement from the U.S. Senate in 1999, Senator Coats joined former Senate Majority Leaders Bob Dole and George Mitchell as Special Counsel with the Washington law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand. Before his election to Congress, Senator Coats served as Indiana Director for former Congressman Dan Quayle from 1977-1980. Prior to his career in politics, he was Assistant Vice President of a Fort Wayne, Indiana, life insurance company. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966-68.
In 1995, Senator Coats received national recognition as the author and champion of the Project for American Renewal, a comprehensive initiative aimed at shifting power and funding from Washington directly to local and non-profit groups that are successfully working to resolve many of the nation’s social problems. He also is the author of Mending Fences: Renewing Justice Between Government and Civil Society.
Senator Coats has served as President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, as co-chair of the Center for Jewish and Christian Values, and as a member of several other boards, civic and volunteer organizations. He is a graduate of Wheaton College and holds a J.D. degree from Indiana University School of Law.
I’m pretty surprised, but Coats is honest and conservative, and we can’t afford to turn up our nose at anyone who is either of those two, never mind both!
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