My prognostication skills don't seem to be improving. When Evan Bayh announced his retirement from the U.S. Senate, there was a lot of speculation that he might be interested in being governor again. I pooh-poohed the idea and expressed doubt that Bayh would take a "been there, done that" route. Apparently, I was a little hasty:
Expect Sen. Evan Bayh to announce a run for governor after the first of the year, a supporter says.
Ed Treacy, chairman of the Marion County Democratic Party, thinks the likelihood is high that Bayh will seek back the office he held for two terms ending in 1996 before moving to his current seat.
[. . .]
Treacy noted that Bayh showed up for the annual Indiana Democratic Editorial Association Convention in French Lick late last month. Observing that Bayh hadn't been at the event in years, Treacy says, “That speaks volumes for him about his priorities.”
Probably not so coincidentally, Tim Kaine, chairman of the Democratic National Committee and a former governor of Virginia, arrived to speak.
If Bayh tossed his hat in the ring, virtually everyone else in the party would clear out, Treacy says.
The part about everyone else bowing out is certainly true. If, as expected, Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman seeks the GOP nomination, I expect most in that party will clear out, too, so maybe we already have the governor's race locked in. Some speculate that Mike Pence might seek the nomination, but if Republicans take back the U.S. House, he'll be in line for serious leadership duties, and I doubt he'd want to give them up.
And you know how good my doubts are.
