Can a Hoosier farmer produce another Massachusetts miracle for Republicans?

The Washington Examiner ^ | February 20, 2010 | Ken Tomlinson

[Clintonfatigued]

A notable buzz surrounded youthful Indiana State Sen. Marlin Stutzman as he was escorted around this week’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) by activist Donna Weisner. “Back in Indiana, they say he’s our Scott Brown,” she said proudly.

Stutzman supporters elatedly boasted news of a Rasmussen poll that gives Stutzman a ten-point lead over the likely Democrat nominee for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Evan Bayh.

All this is a stunning development for the young farmer and businessman who only four years ago was the youngest member of the Indiana legislature. In Washington power circles former Sen. Dan Coats has been all but anointed the GOP nominee for the Bayh seat.

In Indiana there has been a real pushback to the Washington-blessed Coats candidacy, and as ten thousand conservatives gathered for CPAC they were greeted by a huge Stutzman endorsement by increasingly influential RedState blogger Erick Erickson.

Declared Erickson: “The GOP needs to change its public image that voters have. It should not be using retired senators who moved out of state and become a lobbyist to do that.

“We need younger faces and fresher voices. We need guys like Marco Rubio. We need guys like Marlin Stutzman.”

[Clintonfatigued]

I’m torn between Stutzman and Hostettler. If Dan Coats is the nominee, I’ll bite my tongue and support him. But he hasn’t lived in Indiana in a decade and he’s lobbied for a few unsavory clients in his day. Conservative in Indiana should oppose Coats in the primary.

[hoosiermama]

What do we know about

Indiana State Sen. Marlin Stutzman?

[cripplecreek]

We need a listing of republicans leading their races against incumbant democrats. Probably wouldn’t hurt to break it down to conservative vs moderates.

My Michigan district will likely go conservative republican this time.

[rdl6989]

What do we know about Indiana State Sen. Marlin Stutzman?

I must admit I know nothing about him.

[Clintonfatigued]

Dan Coats is conservative, but very establishment, inside-the-beltway. John Hostettler is sort of a Pat Buchanan type conservative. I don’t know much about Stutzman, other than his resume.

[cripplecreek]

I always got the impression that Indiana was a state that could elect someone very liberal, very conservative or anywhere in between. Kinda like my state.

[Clintonfatigued]

Indiana rarely elects strong liberals to statewide office. The exception was during the 1960’s and 1970’s, when they elected the ideologue Birch Bayh and the corrupt Vance Hartke. Hartke was so obviously on the take, the running joke back in Indiana was that Indiana had two Senators- Bayh and Bought.

[SmokingJoe]

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/election_2010_indiana_senate

[Frantzie]

John Hostetler is very well liked by NRA members/Second Amendment defenders.

He is a good guy.

[Parley Baer]

I agree. Lets hope Coats does not get it and a fresh face does.

[Clintonfatigued]

I do prefer Hostettler over Coats. He definitely has the courage of his convictions.

[JSDude1]

Hostettler or Stutzman we need to rally around one of these as we do not want what happened in Ill to happen here! I favor Hostettler, but like Stutzman (and Behney- never met Bates) as well..

One thing is for sure, we need to rally around 1 tea party candidate before the national party pushes us around!~ J.S.

[Impy]

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/election_2010_indiana_senate

Link to a poll

Potential matchups

Election 2010: Indiana Senate

John Hostettler (R)49%

Baron Hill (D) 31%

Election 2010: Indiana Senate

Dan Coats (R) 48%

Baron Hill (D) 32%

Election 2010: Indiana Senate

Marlin Stutzman (R) 41%

Baron Hill (D) 33%

Election 2010: Indiana Senate

Dan Coats (R) 46%

Brad Ellsworth (D) 32%

Election 2010: Indiana Senate

John Hostettler (R) 46%

Brad Ellsworth (D) 27%

Election 2010: Indiana Senate

Marlin Stutzman (R) 40%

Brad Ellsworth (D) 30%

Hostettler slightly out does Coats. He creams Ellsworth who creamed him in 2006. Interesting.

If Coats isn’t the strongest I don’t see any reason to favor him over the other 2.

All things being equal I’d tend to prefer Stutzman. But these are good numbers for Hostettler.

[Impy]

Ping to 14

[campaignPete R-CT]

I ain’t ever going back to ol’ Indiana.
(at least not this year.)

and I ain’t goin’ to IOWA in 2011 to campaign for nobody.

[MitchellC]

If any of these three will be able to win the seat, I'd go with Stutzman. I think I've already posted this before, but it looks like DeMint is favoring Stutzman and will end up endorsing him. Hotstettler has a, um, goofy history that will eventually work against him.

[yongin]

Coats has the endorsement of Pence. Stutzman just received the endorsement of David Long, the IN Senate Majority Leader.

[St. Louis Conservative]

Coats is conservative enough, but he is not the electable conservative. He will be hammered for being out of the state for 10 years, for being a lobbyist for the banking industry, and for saying he wanted to move to North Carolina, but “don’t tell the folks in Indiana”. Coats is a good man, but his time has come and gone.

[yongin]

Mitch Daniels is staying neutral in the Senate primary.

Also Daniels said he is open to running for President for 2012. Could “My Man Mitch” be the “Man” for conservatives in 2012?