Dan Coats to challenge Bayh for old seat

[nathandiehl]

How about the news leaked last night that Dan Coats will challenge Evan Bayh for the US Senate seat he retired from in 1998?

Now that would be a VERY interesting match up, don't you think?

Source: Howey Politics

[HoosierHelen]

I agree it will be an interesting race between Coats and Bayh. Sounds like the Dems are ready for him.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Eric Schultz released a statement painting Coats, who is a registered lobbyist for a firm called King & Spalding, as a "Washington insider." That is likely to be a major theme of the Democratic messaging in this race.
"Dan Coats is a federally registered lobbyist whose client lists include banks, private equity firms, and defense contractors," the statement reads. "Indianans won't ignore Dan Coats' decade as a lobbyist working the system to gain special favors for the banking industry at the time of financial collapse and at the expense of working Americans."

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...nas-sen-bayh/1

[HomeyG]

Dan Coats will be a formidable candidate. A Republican running in a red state will certainly help him. Bayh will be hurt by voting for the health care bill and if the economy and the job situation is still in the tank it will definitely hurt him. If not, it will help immensely. Coats being a lobbyist will have little affect on his candidacy and his prior experience as a Senator will help him.

[blue adept]

I agree it will be an interesting race between Coats and Bayh. Sounds like the Dems are ready for him.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Eric Schultz released a statement painting Coats, who is a registered lobbyist for a firm called King & Spalding, as a \"Washington insider.\" That is likely to be a major theme of the Democratic messaging in this race.
\"Dan Coats is a federally registered lobbyist whose client lists include banks, private equity firms, and defense contractors,\" the statement reads. \"Indianans won't ignore Dan Coats' decade as a lobbyist working the system to gain special favors for the banking industry at the time of financial collapse and at the expense of working Americans.\"

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2010/02/former-sen-coats-to-challenge-indianas-sen-bayh/1

What was it I said about big money not wanting pence to run?

[HoosierHelen]

Can anyone remember anything positive that Coats accomplished for Indiana when he held this seat before?
He has obviously been a successful politician and kept himself employed as such, I've been trying to see what he is remembered for that was good for Indiana.

Personally, I did not pay nearly as much attention to politics when he was in office before as I do now. I don't recall what he did for Indiana?

[HomeyG]

Can anyone remember anything positive that Coats accomplished for Indiana when he held this seat before?
He has obviously been a successful politician and kept himself employed as such, I've been trying to see what he is remembered for that was good for Indiana.

Personally, I did not pay nearly as much attention to politics when he was in office before as I do now. I don't recall what he did for Indiana?

Neither can I but I also can't remember anything good that Bayh accomplished and his history is more recent.
Funny thing is we never remember the good, only the bad. So I guess both Coats and Bayh major accomplishments are they did nothing bad that we can remember.

[HoosierHelen]

Dan Coats will be a formidable candidate. A Republican running in a red state will certainly help him. Bayh will be hurt by voting for the health care bill and if the economy and the job situation is still in the tank it will definitely hurt him. If not, it will help immensely. Coats being a lobbyist will have little affect on his candidacy and his prior experience as a Senator will help him.

I agree Coats will be a formidable candidate. Bayh voting for the health care bill is a plus for him within my value system.

Will the people hold Bayh responsible for the economy? I'm not sure. I hold the Republicans responsible for getting us in this mess, I'm looking to the Democrats to pull us out. Democrats are sure having problems building momentum.

[HomeyG]

I agree Coats will be a formidable candidate. Bayh voting for the health care bill is a plus for him within my value system.

Will the people hold Bayh responsible for the economy? I'm not sure. I hold the Republicans responsible for getting us in this mess, I'm looking to the Democrats to pull us out. Democrats are sure having problems building momentum.

Although he is within your value system, voting for the health bill is not within most of Indiana voters. I too, hold the Republicans responsible for this mess, but I also hold the Democrats accountable for getting us out. Instead of seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, I see the tunnel getting longer. Excessive spending will not get us out of this mess anymore than excessive spending would get you out of a mess with your personal budget. If that were true, I know a lot of individuals that would be finanically secured, but they are not.

[HoosierHelen]

Although he is within your value system, voting for the health bill is not within most of Indiana voters. I too, hold the Republicans responsible for this mess, but I also hold the Democrats accountable for getting us out. Instead of seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, I see the tunnel getting longer. Excessive spending will not get us out of this mess anymore than excessive spending would get you out of a mess with your personal budget. If that were true, I know a lot of individuals that would be finanically secured, but they are not.

I don't disagree with one thing you have said here Homey. Our average citizen's goals are pretty much the same, affordable health care, jobs that pay sufficient wages to raise a family on, a stable economy and a secure nation.

Republicans and Democrats each purpose a different path to get to these goals. So very much money and energy goes into fighting among parties, rather than addressing the very real problems of our nation and it's citizens. I sincerely hope we NEVER experience another day like 9/11, however, I remember on 9/12 how little it meant to any of us who was a Rep or Dem. I do wish we could capture that spirit of unity again for our nation.

[nathandiehl]

It will be interesting to see the first polling numbers with Coats and Bayh.

Considering Mike Pence had a small 3-point lead on Bayh, I think Coats will have a nearly 10 point lead on Bayh when the first poll comes out.

What do you guys think?

[HoosierHelen]

Neither can I but I also can't remember anything good that Bayh accomplished and his history is more recent.
Funny thing is we never remember the good, only the bad. So I guess both Coats and Bayh major accomplishments are they did nothing bad that we can remember.

Yes, if nothing bad can be remembered that's a good sign.

I understand that Coats has been a registered voter in VA for the past 10 yrs. Seems he will need to move back to Indiana to pursue an election from this state. It reminds me of when Hillary Clinton moved to NY so she could be their senator.

My question is WHY Dan Coats wants to return to his old seat in Indiana?

[blue adept]

Yes, if nothing bad can be remembered that's a good sign.

I understand that Coats has been a registered voter in VA for the past 10 yrs. Seems he will need to move back to Indiana to pursue an election from this state. It reminds me of when Hillary Clinton moved to NY so she could be their senator.

My question is WHY Dan Coats wants to return to his old seat in Indiana?

Somebody with big money thinks he stands a chance!

[HoosierHelen]

Somebody with big money thinks he stands a chance!

I don't know Blue, the man walked away from Indiana for larger political ambitions. He attained what he went for and now he returns to Indiana? I believe there is a story behind this reversal of career direction.

[hairypumper]

Can anyone remember anything positive that Coats accomplished for Indiana when he held this seat before?
He has obviously been a successful politician and kept himself employed as such, I've been trying to see what he is remembered for that was good for Indiana.

Personally, I did not pay nearly as much attention to politics when he was in office before as I do now. I don't recall what he did for Indiana?

I wouldn't call it positive, but he spent ten years teaching Mark Souder how to be a lying Republican boot licker. (IMO)

[LuciusBeebe]

Excessive spending will not get us out of this mess

Most economists disagree. The government needs to shut down spending when things are good, and crank it up when things are bad.

[HoosierHelen]

I wouldn't call it positive, but he spent ten years teaching Mark Souder how to be a lying Republican boot licker. (IMO)

IF he is such a devoted advocate for Hoosiers.....why did he leave? My best guess is self promotion. And....he certainly accomplished it.

[HoosierHelen]

Most economists disagree. The government needs to shut down spending when things are good, and crank it up when things are bad.

I'm a far cry from an economist, however, I haven't seen this increased spending impact the unemployed workers in our state (or nation).

My anger is still smoldering as to how our tax dollars bailed out these financial institutions and enabled them to continue paying insane bonuses to non profit producing managers.

[HomeyG]

Most economists disagree. The government needs to shut down spending when things are good, and crank it up when things are bad.

Its not so much how much money they are spending, its where they are spending the money. They are spending some of the money on pet projects and not on job creation.

[ted4502000]

Although he is within your value system, voting for the health bill is not within most of Indiana voters. I too, hold the Republicans responsible for this mess, but I also hold the Democrats accountable for getting us out. Instead of seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, I see the tunnel getting longer. Excessive spending will not get us out of this mess anymore than excessive spending would get you out of a mess with your personal budget. If that were true, I know a lot of individuals that would be finanically secured, but they are not.

Homey, I disagree. I think that the Health care bill is essential to not only Hoosier voters but to the nation as well. You only have to ask any person who was let go in the past 2 years how much they had to pay for insurance or medical care to know that this is true. People keep complaining how much it is going to cost US. But no none seems to be taking into consideration that the people that are getting the insurance have to pay for it too.

You talk about excessive spending not being the answer, however, you only have to look to history to see that it is the solution. Massive spending is what started us out of the great depression. The government employed thousands of people to keep them basically alive until the economy turned for the better and started hiring them back. The results of that "massive spending" can still be seen around Angola today.

And YES, it was another unfiscally responsible Democrat cleaning up two or three "Brainless" Republicans mess. Kindof like now.

[LuciusBeebe]

My anger is still smoldering as to how our tax dollars bailed out these financial institutions and enabled them to continue paying insane bonuses to non profit producing managers.

Most of those institutions have paid back their loans just so they can hand out the bonuses.

What pet projects, Homey?