Bayh Sees Red, Hopes To Turn Blue

Bayh Sees Red, Hopes To Turn Blue

For Howey Political Report Oct. 19, 2006
www.howeypolitics.com

Evan Bayh will be chalking up some serious frequent campaigner miles in the 18 days remaining before the midterm elections, with announced visits to five states, including two trips to Indiana.

"Bayh to Campaign in Red States and Districts Between Now and Election Day" was the headline on a news release distributed by the senator's office earlier this week. According to the published schedule, Indiana's junior senator will dedicate nine days supporting Hoosier Democrats. He is slated to be on the road a total of a dozen days during the time period.

Earlier this week Bayh visited Atlanta where he attended a fundraiser on behalf of gubernatorial candidate Mark Taylor. Polls indicate the Democrat trails GOP incumbent Sonny Perdue by 20 points, with as many as 15 percent undecided. President Bush carried Georgia 58/41 in 2004 (C-SPAN).

Today our former governor is in Nevada (Bush 50/48) stumping on behalf of the Dina Titus for Governor campaign, congressional candidate Tessa Hafen and other Democrats. Bayh is slated to appear at a Titus event to discuss senior issues at a town hall forum in Las Vegas. Recent polling in the gubernatorial race favored Republican Jim Gibbons 45/36, with 10 percent undecided (Las Vegas Review Journal). The same poll found Hafen trailing 47/37 in an evenly split district.

New Hampshire (Kerry 50/49) is on the agenda for midweek. Tuesday he visits Norton's Classic Cafe to stump for Nashua City Democrats. Wednesday, a busy day for Bayh, begins at the Bedford Village Inn for a Politics and Eggs forum.

Later he flies to Kentucky (Bush 60/40) for an appearance on behalf of Ken Lucas, Democratic candidate in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District. Two recent polls indicate voters favor incumbent Geoff Davis by a slim margin (46/49, 44/47).

The day ends in Indiana (Bush 60/39). Bayh's office has not released any details on either of two trips to the Hoosier state, including the first, which runs Wednesday through next Friday. The senator's news release reported Bayh's agenda simply as "Indiana Campaigning with Congressional and Legislative Candidates." Earlier this month he conducted a two-day campaign blitz on behalf of Democrats running in the three congressional races considered by many observers to be among the state's most competitive - the 2nd, 8th and 9th. It would not be surprising to see a Bayh visit to the 3rd CD before the election. Yesterday HPR reported that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has put the 3rd CD on its "emerging races" category, and that Democratic challenger Thomas Hayhurst holds a significant money advantage over incumbent Mark Souder. HPR has listed the race as "Leans Souder" throughout the current election cycle.

On Nov. 1st Bayh is slated to appear at a fundraiser for Tammy Duckworth, the Democrat who hopes to win the 6th CD of Illinois (Kerry 55/45), the seat vacated by retiring Republican Rep. Henry Hyde. A Reuters/Zogby poll released earlier this month shows Republican Peter Roskar trailing 43/38.

Although he has yet to announce any further details, Bayh's communications team indicated the senator will stump in Indiana Nov. 2-7.