Bayh is a Bellwether for Midterm Elections

Evan Bayh's decision not to seek another term as Senator is the canary crying in the coal mine for liberal politics. He was 33 years old when elected Governor of Indiana in 1988 -- one of the youngest governors in history. And his pedigree was strong -- son of legendary Senator Birch Bayh, who virtually defined Indiana liberal democrats. Evan Bayh carved a different path than his father. He was praised for his fiscally conservative policies -- a beacon for the centrist democrats. Hence, his downfall.
As a successful young governor who would go on to win his father's former seat in the Senate, he should have been a shoe-in as a leading presidential candidate, or at least a vice presidential nominee. But he was snubbed. Too conservative, I suspect. And too willing to reach across the aisle recently on health care, cap and trade, foreign policy and other issues.


Now, seeing the writing on the wall, Bayh has elected not to repeat his father's fate. Birch Bayh lost to a young congressman named Dan Quayle in the Reagan landslide of 1980.


Centrist Democrats like Evan Bayh have been hung out to dry by their liberal brethren who have mis-interpreted the change voters were seeking in 2008 by pushing an ultra-liberal agenda. An agenda neither desired nor warranted. Now even the centrist democrats are running for the hills.