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People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

Obama may face Evan Bayh, a Democratic challenger, in 2012

Posted on Monday, February 15, 2010 at 03:15 PM

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Could Barack Obama be facing a challenger from the Democratic center when he runs for re-election in 2012?

That is one spin we can put on the resignation of Indian Senator Evan Bayh who announced today he is giving up his safe seat.

We know that Bayh was upset that he was not picked as V.P. by Obama after making it into the final three. He had previously made the final cut with John Kerry as well.

Now he will be free and independent of the party and with the Obama poll numbers starting to drop dramatically it is not outside the realm of possibility that he could face a challenge from within his own party for the nomination.

Not since Ted Kennedy ran against Jimmy Carter in 1980 has there been such a challenge to the incumbent. Bayh knows however, that the Obama victory was due to the incredible influx of young voters and impassioned Obama supporters to the process.

They may not be around this time, given the fact that Obama so far has deeply disappointed them. That could leave a route open for Bayh if he decided to try.

By resigning a safe seat he has certainly given himself options. He has $12 million in the bank. Obama is fairly or unfairly seen as too far left by many voters, Bayh is a centrist , a fact shown by his ability to get re-elected in Indiana, usually a bedrock Republican state.

Will he challenge Obama? Too soon to say but I would not rule it out.

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PatrickLee | Feb 18, 2010, 07:46 PM EST

So Sarah Palin was considerd a quitter when she left the office of the govenor but Bayh is anything but...

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PatrickLee | Feb 18, 2010, 07:44 PM EST

sully1167... I think it is considered "Irish" News because Obama is 500 parts Irish.

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willieboy | Feb 17, 2010, 08:10 PM EST

THIS WILL BE AN EASY CONQUEST FOR SEN BAYH. OF COURSE THIS ASSUMES THERE WILL BA A COUNTRY LEFY AFTER THE GREAT "O" GETS THROUGH WITH IT.

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sully1167 | Feb 17, 2010, 05:49 PM EST

This is not Irish news.

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IrishAndProud | Feb 17, 2010, 01:47 PM EST

Derrylass627, could you please explain how the Repubs have been stopping everything from getting done when they control nothing? The DEMS control congress, Derrylass -- by large numbers, mind you -- and they STILL can't get anything done. I'm afraid you're just repeating mindless liberal talking points, that (as we can see) are easily refutable.

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chesapeake | Feb 17, 2010, 11:05 AM EST

Not much. With all of the Chaos brought about by Obama may not make it until 2012. Bayh - a professional politician just like his daddy (liberal)- realizes that he would lose his next election and bailed out early. I think that the next Dem candidate has yet to come to the fore.

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JoeAnnie | Feb 17, 2010, 10:22 AM EST

We got to get rid of Obama one way or the other. He isn't my choice for a president. Neither is Hillary Clinton. We need to vote to have all of the gov't to retire on SS and medicare like the rest of us and NO MORE RAISES for them

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Derrylass627 | Feb 17, 2010, 10:06 AM EST

Obama hasn't disappointed me - the Republican party (party-of-no) has. They don't care about helping the people of the U.S., only about getting re-elected. I hope the voters wake-up and realize that the Republicans are the reason that nothing is getting done in Washington!

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Bridgetftmyers | Feb 17, 2010, 09:57 AM EST

NO MORE OBAMA!!!!!!!

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Michael T. Burns | Feb 17, 2010, 09:52 AM EST

I encourage Mr. Bayh to run, anybody would be better than the community organizer we are stuck with for the next 3 years.

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DLW12183 | Feb 17, 2010, 09:48 AM EST

As someone who lives in Indiana I say Josephocasey hit the nail on the head except after running for governor in 2012 he will run for President in 2016. With his wife making $800,000 per year sitting on various boards of directors he doesn't need Washington.

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Madeleine | Feb 17, 2010, 04:10 AM EST

Evan Bayh has just retired from Politis, he said he didn't like the Gvoernment anymore, congress in prticular. Obama won't be facing anyone in 2012, he won't be here and if by soe chance he is , he won't win. No more democrats for awhile.

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JosephOCasey | Feb 15, 2010, 11:39 PM EST

Bayh's seat was not safe. That is why he retired. He lost a lot of ground when he voted for Obamacare. He got out before he lost an election. My bet is that he will run for Governor again.

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