Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh will not seek re-election this year, a decision that hands Republicans a prime pickup opportunity in the middle of the country.
"After all these years, my passion for service to my fellow citizens is undiminished, but my desire to do so by serving in Congress has waned," Bayh will say, according to prepared remarks obtained by the Fix. He will make the decision formal at a press conference later today.
Bayh was first elected to the Senate in 1998 and was re-elected easily in 2004. National Republicans had recruited former Sen. Dan Coats to challenge Bayh in 2010 although polling suggested Bayh began the race with a 20-point edge. He also had $13 million in the bank at the end of the year.
"My decision was not motivated by political concern," Bayh is expected to say. "Even in the current challenging environment, I am confident in my prospects for re-election."
Bullshit !! It looks like the Dems are in absolute free fall. I don't think any of them are really operating under the delusion that the American public seriously loves the bill of good they're pushing if only they could sell it better.
They have watched Kennedy's seat flip to the Republicans with Biden's likely to follow. Clinton and Obama's old seats may also go red. So Bayh has to feel some heat running in a usually red Indiana.
However, I would caution the Republican leadership not to get too optimistic. November is still a long way off. But more importantly, the Republicans have not made a case for voting Republican and the largess of their previous majority is still a very recent memory. This is why voters have gravitated to Tea Parties and not the Republicans. But again, November is still a long way off and the Republicans have time to make their case.
In the meantime, anything that derails the Obama agenda is always cause for celebration.
They Olympics have been on tv?
ReplyDeleteSports Homo Greg