Former U.S. Senator Dan Coats confirmed this morning that he will run for U.S. Senate. During a live interview with Charly Butcher on WOWO radio Coats said his campaign is "up and running, with thousands of volunteers on the ground".
The campaign is still collecting the necessary signatures to enter the Republican primary in May. The former 4th District Congressman said he never expected to be back in politics, but the recent turn the country has taken concerned him, leading him to enter the race.
Since word of a possible run by Coats surfaced, Democrats came out quickly labeling Coats as a lobbyist and questioning his recent ties to Indiana. Coats will join 4 other Republicans, including State Senator Marlin Stutzman and former congressman, John Hostettler in the Republican field seeking to unseat Bayh. There is speculation that some in the field may choose not to run now that Coats has announced his intentions. Stutzman has a news conference planned later this morning, but has not revealed what he will discuss. Dan Coats served in Congress in the 1980's and 1990's as both a Congressman and Senator. The winner of the Republican primary will need plenty of money to take on Evan Bayh, who has millions of dollars in his campaign war chest.
