It’s bad when we’re driving people like him away.

Indiana Senator Evan Bayh announced that he will not be running for reelection. Some of my republican pals will think that this is just another democrat running scared from constituent anger. Sen. Bayh said that he didn’t want to continue due to the bitter partisan divide. It’s a surprise I know, but I actually believe what this politician says.

Although there is an anti-incumbent attitude rising within the electorate, Sen. Bayh would be reasonably safe even though Indiana is regarded as a republican leaning state. Of course, he has the democratic base of support but he has earned the respect of many republicans due to his fiscal policies and positions first as a two-term governor and then as senator. He is a well-known and well liked centrist democrat and even though he probably wouldn’t be winning by large margins as he did before, Bayh, I am pretty darn sure, would have kept his seat.

Personally, I have great respect for the guy and would probably vote for him if I was a hoosier. Granted, there are things I had issues with him on. He particularly pissed me off when Pres. G.W. Bush was trying to get his appointees through the senate and Bayh would always vote “no.” Still I would rather have people like him in the senate than some of the other nut jobs there now.

I really think democrats should be pissed off at this news. A relatively safe seat is pretty much up for grabs. I think they still have a chance to salvage this as the candidate the republicans have fielded doesn’t appear to be that threatening so far. It’s pretty much too late to for a regular application as the deadline for turning in the paperwork has passed or will pass shortly so however the dems go about it, they’ll need to find another strong democrat to put on the ballot.

<<--See Also: "VP Pick and a Dead Proposal"