Big buzz from CNN — Evan Bayh will be announcing Monday morning that he and his $10 million war chest will be making a run for the U.S. Senate. In other words, Mitch McConnell should enjoy his time as Majority Leader now because it could be short lived.
Tom LoBianco at CNN reported the scoop in an article titled, “Evan Bayh mounting Senate return, could tip balance in November”:
An announcement about Bayh’s candidacy for the Indiana Senate seat is expected later Monday morning, said a source familiar with the plans. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because they will not be released publicly until later Monday.
Bayh is easily the most popular Democrat in the state. He was a Senator from 1999 to 2011, Governor from 1989 to 1997 and Secretary of State in 1986. Bayh has been a vigorous Clinton supporter for years, so perhaps that’s why he’s changed his mind about public life and decided to jump back in to help Hillary Clinton have a Senate that will support her agenda if she wins.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
The 2016 Senate map favors Democrats in the way that the 2014 map favored Republicans. That is, 24 of the 34 seats up for election are Republican. Republicans are fighting for more seats than Democrats. Senate Democrats are also helped by the fact that it’s a presidential election year.
In early June, 538 projected it would be a close race, “For now, Democrats are most likely going to win three to four seats.” Polling shows a potentially larger wave by Democrats.
At that time 538 had Indiana in the not likely to change hands category.
But things change.
Add in Evan Bayh and now there is a larger probability of at least four. If Hillary Clinton wins the White House, four gives Democrats the majority and Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would take McConnell’s place.
Bayh could be the ‘bye to obstructionist architect Mitch McConnell.
Listen to Sarah on the PoliticusUSA Pod on The Daily newsletter podcast here.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Connect with Sarah on Post, Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.
