IN-Sen: Pence Won’t Challenge Bayh

A bullet dodged for Evan Bayh:

As many of you are aware, I have been approached about running for the United States Senate in 2010. Karen and I have been humbled by the outpouring of support and encouragement which we received from across Indiana, especially since there are several capable and qualified candidates already seeking the Republican nomination.

After much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to remain in the House and to seek reelection to the 6th Congressional District in 2010.

I am staying for two reasons. First because I have been given the responsibility to shape the Republican comeback as a member of the House Republican Leadership and, second, because I believe Republicans will win back the majority in the House of Representatives in 2010.

As it stands now, Bayh’s highest-profile Republican opponent is ex-Rep. John Hostettler, who is not known as the strongest of campaigners. Still, if Dan Quayle could beat an longtime, respected incumbent…

83 thoughts on “IN-Sen: Pence Won’t Challenge Bayh”

  1. Finally some good news. Although we are not out of the woods yet, we need to get a real poll, not R2k, to see how Bayh does against Hostettler. It feels good to be a Hoosier dem!!!!  

  2. I thought he would go for it but didn’t say so as not to jinx it. I’m expecting the worst in general now.

  3. I never thought Pence would risk a safe House seat, and a legitimate shot at the upper levels of House leadership, to take on Evan.  But, had he done it, he’d have been the real deal in terms of a legitimate candidate.  He also would have been the first person in a long time that the hard right in Indiana really would have been fired up about (they are lukewarm at best towards Governor Daniels, and more-or-less hate Senator Lugar).  Finally, I’m glad it’s not happening because it would have forced me and other liberals here to go to bat for Evan Bayh in a way we haven’t had to so far!

  4. He gave two interesting reasons for staying put (although it was really only one reason).  He thinks that the Republicans will control the house and he wants to be a power player.  On the opposite side, he doesn’t say the same thing about the Senate.  

    Conclusion Pence wants a shot of being in the majority party, and he could care less what seat he represents as long as he’s part of the majority.  

  5. With Republicans likely forming over 40% of the electorate, odds are Hostettler can keep this from being a complete runaway, but unless Bayh runs a meh campaign, this should be a pretty solid, double-digit hold.

  11.  He lost his House seat in 2006 even though I know it was a Democratic year, he still lost by 22 points in a district Bush won by 26 points and even Obama could not win it. Hosteletter always had close races in his old congressional district. Also, Hosteletter is not a scandal ridden politician. I do not see him winning against Bayh.  

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