Posted on 01/06/2007 12:09:30 PM PST by Clintonfatigued
week after Sen. Evan Bayh announced he would not run for the Democratic nomination for president in ’08, speculation is gradually mounting in Washington and Indiana that the two-term senator will instead run in two years for the job he held from 1988-96 and reportedly loved more than being in the Senate -- governor of the Hoosier State.
Sources close to Bayh, who explored and then opted against a bid for the White House, does not like the pace in the Senate and the hours that keep him from coming home to dinner with wife Susan and their twin sons. As governor, the same sources said, Bayh was more in control of his schedule and preferred being an executive to being a legislator.
Should Bayh run for the governorship, he would be an instant favorite over Republican incumbent Mitch Daniels, who served as head of the Office of Management and Budget under George W. Bush. In recent months, Gov. Daniels has seen his popularity diminish over his handling of state spending issues.
If Bayh wins his old job back, the same sources have already guessed whom he would name to fill the remaining two years of his Senate term: Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, Bayh’s close friend and former top aide.
(Excerpt) Read more at humanevents.com ...
If Bayh wants to return to the Governorship, he can probably have it. Mitch Daniels is not held in high regard at this time.
potential Republican pickup in the Senate.
He isn't up for reelection until 2010. So he will appoint someone as his successor.
It is easier to knock off an appointee that an elected incumbent and Indiana is a red state. Politics and war are both won in the long term but fought in the short term.
How many states have Dem Governors ?
More than Republican governors, although the exact number escapes me.
Thanks
Off the top of my head I believe there are 28 Democratic Governors and 22 Republicans.
MyGOP is correct, it is 28D-22R
As of January 2007, here are the states with Dem Governors:
AZ-Napolitano
AR-Beebe
CO-Ritter
DE-Minner
IL-Blagojevich
IA-Culver
KS-Sebelius
LA-Blanco
ME-Baldacci
MD-O'Malley
MA-Patrick
MI-Granholm
MT-Schweitzer
NH-Lynch
NJ-Corzine
NM-Richardson
NY-Spitzer
NC-Easley
OH-Strickland
OK-Henry
OR-Kulongoski
PA-Rendell
TN-Bredesen
VA-Kaine
WA-Gregoire
WV-Manchin
WI-Doyle
WY-Freudenthal
And with Republican Governors:
AL-Riley
AK-Palin
CA-Ah-nold
CT-Rell
FL-Crist
GA-Perdue
HI-Lingle
ID-Otter
IN-Daniels
KY-Fletcher
MN-Pawlenty
MS-Barbour
MO-Blunt
NE-Heineman
NV-Gibbons
ND-Hoeven
RI-Carcieri
SC-Sanford
SD-Rounds
TX-Perry
UT-Huntsman
VT-Douglas
Yah, he'll walk over Daniels, that's true. But he wasn't that bad of a Governor, and the Senate seat would instantly become competitive.
Ah yes. Senator to Governor to POTUS.
That avenue didn't work for Pete Wilson.
That's a number our side needs to pay attention to ... because it could be real trouble
Thanks for the info!
It's always trouble when we're trailing.
It was worse, however, back prior to the '94 elections, when the breakdown was 30D-18R-2I:
D-AL,AR,CO,DE,FL,GA,HI,ID,IN,KS,KY,LA,MD,MO,NE,NV,NM,NY,NC,OK,OR,PA,RI,TN,TX,VT,VA,WA,WV,WY
R-AZ,CA,IL,IA,ME,MA,MI,MN,MS,MT,NH,NJ,ND,OH,SC,SD,UT,WI
Ind-AK,CT
Actually, it would be Governor to Senator to Governor to POTUS, but I doubt he'll ever run for President if he isn't going to now. This seemed on paper to be his big break, and he's canning it.
Daniels for Senate?
If Daniels loses his re-election bid, I'm guessing his political career is over.
"If Daniels loses his re-election bid, I'm guessing his political career is over."
Gov. Daniels really was not too impressed with running for Governor at first - but the State Party convinced him otherwise. He doesn't seem too concerned about going on past the Governor's job.
He'll go back into either a staff position or get a corporate board position somewhere.
28, which is too many.
Yep .. especially with this group of Dems and something we really need to watch
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