So why is Evan REALLY dropping out???

[Voltaire]

Any ideas? Good riddance I say, regardless of how the election eventually turns out.

[IndianaGreen]

1. A better financial deal down the road, perhaps?

Going to work as a lobbyist for Lilly?

What a loser!

[Chiyo-chichi]

2. Good question.

There's no love lost here, but I'm shocked.

[Delphinus]

9. I'm with you.

Shocked and anxious that we're going to wind up with Coats, but glad he's gone. We're really better off without him.

[IndianaGreen]

3. There is speculation he will take over PhRMA as chief lobbyst

Bill Tauzin is stepping down in June:

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/health-reform-in-limbo-top-drug-lobbyist-quits/?partner=rss&emc=rss

[Voltaire]

4. I suppose there would not be much of a learning curve if he went there

I think he is a bigger piece of shit today than I thought he was yesterday. His timing is atrocious and guaranteed to lose the fucking seat.

[Delphinus]

10. Yeah,

and Coats' timing and all ...

[IndianaGreen]

5. Here is some speculation from my favourite Indiana blogger

Update 1: Thoughts on who will run. I think Indiana Democrats best bet would be Congressman Brad Ellsworth. The Conservative Democrat from the 'bloody eighth district,' and is the former Vanderburgh County Sheriff. He would be the most electable in the state with his blue dog credentials. I have met him quite a few times and he is a great guy, even if I don't always agree with his stances on the issues.

Another great candidate would be Congressman Andre Carson. With him on the ballot, Progressives would be fired up to hit the polls helping the Party in other tough Election races. It would open up a can of worms in the 7th District for a potential successor.

Via Facebook, Jon is tossing out the idea of Joe Hogsett for Senate. Others are also mentioning Baron Hill, who was tossing around the idea of running for governor in 2012.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update 2: Also, don't forget the filing deadline is this FRIDAY! That's alot of signatures to gather in a very short amount of time!

And a source of mine thinks that there is more to this than what we are being let onto. Without naming my source(s), there could be a potential 'statement' from the White House following Bayh's press conference.

http://indydemocrat.blogspot.com/2010/02/evan-bayh-to-retire.html

[Chiyo-chichi]

6. The timing of this - -

with the filing deadline being this week -- really screws any Dems who might run.

[Chiyo-chichi]

7. And this...

Indy Democrat also reports that Bayh released this statement via Daily Kos:

"Two weeks ago, the Senate voted down a bipartisan commission to deal with one of the greatest threats facing our nation: our exploding deficits and debt. The measure would have passed, but seven members who had endorsed the idea instead voted ‘no’ for short-term political reasons," he said. "Just last week, a major piece of legislation to create jobs — the public’s top priority — fell apart amid complaints from both the left and right. All of this and much more has led me to believe that there are better ways to serve my fellow citizens, my beloved state and our nation than continued service in Congress."

That last bit sounds familiar...

[Kevin Cloyd]

8. Bayh used

the same quote in his e-mail to Hoosiers today