Bayh Safe for Re-Election

[ccharles000]

A new Hamilton Campaigns poll conducted for Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) suggests little reason for concern as he looks towards re-election in 2010.

Key findings: 74% of Indiana voters see Bayh in a favorable light while just 23% view him unfavorably. Bayh's favorability ratings are high across party lines with 74% of Independents and 61% of Republicans viewing him in a positive light.

And if those numbers aren't enough to fend off a Republican challenge, he also has amassed a war chest of $11.4 million.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/05/01/bayh_safe_for_re-election.html

[Political Heretic]

1. His politics likely reflect his consituents.

It's the challenge when thinking about trying to move in a more progessive direction. You can just target Dems. that aren't progressive enough, or you can think about the fact that they usually reflect their constituency and design strategies to move that public in a more progressive direction...

There's no simply fix, and I don't like conservadems in our national party either. But I do understand why they end up there, and I think changing that is going to have more with changing conditions "on the ground" than anything else.

[depakid]

2. Like his constituents support the banksters he protects

I don't think so....

[Political Heretic]

3. Actually, I do think so.

His constituents are "moderates," some conservatives - and yes they have a very different interpretation of things that you and I do.

I know a little bit about this, being a leftist in the second most conservative state in the union.

[depakid]

5. It's all a matter of how you frame the issues

Align that guy with his out of state fat cats and support for failed economic policies that have hurt the people back home, and you have an entirely different argument.

That said, there's no accounting for Idaho (or Eastern Oregon for that matter).

[Political Heretic]

8. Yes, but framing the issues would have to do with changing minds of constituents.

Which is what I said in my first post.

[depakid]

9. I guess we'll have to disagree based on our experiences

There are few things people hate right now more than Wall Street fat cats and their enablers shitting all over Main Street.

[Hippo_Tron]

13. His constituents also voted for the President

I buy that excuse from people who represent red states. The NRSC is having so much trouble fielding a candidate against him largely because of the work that the Obama campaign did in Indiana. Bayh owes the President big time.

[TheKentuckian]

4. Yup, folks must come to terms with the need to change the electorate

the politicians will follow, albeit slowly. Those calling for a primary opponent for Bayh and the like are ignoring reality. In many if not most cases, a much more liberal candidate would simply result in electing a staunch conservative and matters would be worse despite a more cohesive caucus.

How the lesson of the incredible shrinking party is missed is beyond me. Especially, with a working example right in front of our eyes.

The other fix is getting more of the population into the electorate. I think the vast majority of the people who cannot be bothered to vote would more closely align with us than the Reich but they are lazy, disinterested, or hopelessly jaded and therefore are worthless to getting anything done and unimportant to the conversation.

It doesn't matter one iota what "most people" think or want in the context of politics. Only the electorate is significant and in that battle things are closer than many will accept or admit.

[Sebastian Doyle]

6. One could make the argument that Bayh "has" to be a conservative shill to win Indiana

Except his last name is Bayh. And his father didn't have to be a 'Puke to win there.

[AllentownJake]

7. His dad lost

to Danforth Quayle.

Its actually the thing that drives Evan in the direction he's in.

[burning rain]

10. I should imagine -- Indiana is after all a good state for moderate Republicans.

*

[LiberalFighter]

11. This will be one Democrat that I will not vote for in the next election.

And I will encourage my fellow union members at the plant that I retired from to not vote for him too. UNLESS, he supports EFCA and single payer health care.

I will tell them to not vote for the Republican either.

[cooolandrew]

12. Well considering healthy numbers it won't really be that important when the time comes.?

Bayh can only come along for the ride or dwindle into insignificance. This time it's business he can either be an asset or a loss. All depnds which side of history he finds more comfortable.