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IN-Sen, IN-04: Rokita Won't Challenge Bayh, Will Run for Buyer's Seat

by: James L.

Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 12:56 PM EST


Another bullet dodged for Evan Bayh:

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita (R) will run to succeed retiring Rep. Steve Buyer (R) in the state's 4th district.

"He is grateful for the strong encouragement from Hoosiers throughout the 4th CD, and has decided to campaign for the opportunity to serve in Congress on their behalf," Kevin Kellems, a strategist for Rokita's campaign, said in a statement Monday.

"Todd will post a statement today to his Facebook page," Kellems said. "He wants to work at the federal level on the economic and security issues that directly affect the workers, families and small businesses of the 4th District."

After Mike Pence decided not to challenge Bayh, Rokita was seen as the GOP's next best option for the race. The GOP seems to realize, belatedly, that they should put up a stronger-than-usual challenger to Bayh (I don't think that ex-Rep. John Hostettler qualifies as particularly "strong", although he's better than nothing), in case the environment is so favorable to them that they have a shot at knocking off the entrenched Democratic incumbent. But time is running out -- the state's filing deadline passes on February 16th.

RaceTracker Wiki: IN-Sen | IN-04
James L. :: IN-Sen, IN-04: Rokita Won't Challenge Bayh, Will Run for Buyer's Seat
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IN-Sen, IN-04: Rokita Won't Challenge Bayh, Will Run for Buyer's Seat | 14 comments
think they'll talk to sodrel?
better than hostletter b/c at least he's run difficult campaigns.

Top ten signs you're an SSPer #1: your favorite song is "Panic At Tedisco" and no one understands what you mean.
Well, at least then they wouldn't need to dump money into defending him every two years
Sodrel can barely hold onto one of the most Republican seats in the state.  I don't see how that would make him more qualified to run statewide.

28, Unenrolled, MA-08
[ Parent ]
"Can barely hold on"?
He's never held onto the Fighting Ninth. (Baron Hill beat Sodrel in 2002, 2006, and 2008, losing only in 2004.) Also, I don't think IN-9 is one of the most Republican seats in the state... Did you mean Mark Souder?
[ Parent ]
Oops, that's who I was thinking of
Sorry for the confusion.

28, Unenrolled, MA-08
[ Parent ]
So
since we will probably never get a Democrat in IN-04, I'm curious; is Rokita at least slightly less crazy than Buyer? Even an upgrade from 100% crazy to 99% crazy would be great.

21, dude, RI-01 (registered) IL-01 (college)
please help Japan. click "donate funds" in upper right and then "Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami." http://www.redcross.org/
I may be wrong
but i've heard Rokita is a Dick Lugar type Republican as opposed to a foaming at the mouth wingnut.
[ Parent ]
One thing I remember about him
is that he's been on a hobby-horse about redistricting reform, to make it more nonpartisan. I don't know if that translates into across-the-boards non-craziness, but it's something of a positive sign.

Another plus: Rokita was probably their strongest candidate for governor in 2012. If he wants to stick with a lifetime sinecure in the 4th instead of leaving it after 2 years, that means we have a somewhat improved chance of taking back the governor's seat in 2012, esp. if we can get Baron Hill to run.

[ Parent ]
In a district that red,
Rokita is probably the best we can do. I don't like him for his role in pushing the state voter ID law, but he's still about a 200% improvement over the petulant little corporate stooge he's succeeding.

Maybe with Rokita out of the statewide picture for the moment, Baron Hill (or Ellsworth, or another strong Democrat) will throw his hat in the ring for IN-Gov in 2012. If we get a strong candidate in that race and the best the GOP can get is Skillman, it'd be a competitive race at worst. If Bayh manages to not put his own foot in his mouth too much and survives 2010, Lugar retires in 2012 (likely), Rokita doesn't run for Lugar's seat (big maybe), and whichever strong D doesn't run for Gov does run for Lugar's seat instead, there's an outside chance that Indiana could have two D Senators and a D governor come 2013.

[ Parent ]
You know
If let's say, Baron Hill ran for Indiana-Gov and Brad Ellsworth ran for Indiana-Senate, in 2012, a year in which you know there's going to be a huge Obama ground operation in Indiana once again, it's possible that if the Republicans don't step up their game, that your little scenario could play out.  That'd be awesome.  

I just had a post about us possibly having both Senate seats in Missouri, Ohio, and Florida after this cycle.  Boy, if you were to put Indiana into that column in 2012, talk about domination of the swing states.

23, Male, Democrat, OH-13

[ Parent ]
Told you so
Hopefully the IN GOP can find another guy to run against Bayh. I have no idea who else it can be.
Becky Skillman
Although she probably wants to run for Governor.  

Proud member of the Indiana Democratic Party from IN-9.  
[ Parent ]
I've heard her name tossed around too
I suppose she's next on the list, although I doubt that she will run either. She doesn't have the statewide connections or name brand that Pence or Rokita have.
[ Parent ]
Honestly
I really like her. I don't agree with her on any of her political views, but she is a really nice person.  I imagine that she will run for Governor or Senate in 2012, depending on what Pence does.  

Proud member of the Indiana Democratic Party from IN-9.  
[ Parent ]
What about Richard Mourdock?
Mourdock nearly knocked off Democrat Frank McCloskey twice in the Bloody Eighth back in the early 1990's before John Hostettler finished the job in 1994.  He's now State Treasurer.  Wouldn't he be well-served to take on Bayh?

The Crolian Progressive: as great an adventure as ever I heard of...
[ Parent ]
IN-Sen, IN-04: Rokita Won't Challenge Bayh, Will Run for Buyer's Seat | 14 comments

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