If nothing else, Dan Coats’ potential candidacy shed some light on the race to defeat Senator Evan Bayh.  Had Democrats from DC to Downtown Indianapolis not responded the way they did, this story might have been kept off the front page of the Indianapolis Star.  Now, political handicappers are putting this race in play.

Former Sen. Dan Coats’ (R) likely entry into the Indiana Senate race puts another seat into play for Republicans.

Coats last served in the Senate a decade ago and Democrats are already attacking him for living in Virginia since then, but the Republican should be a credible alternative for voters who are dissatisfied with the direction of the country and the party in power. Coats will need to put together his campaign quickly in order to compete with the $13 million Sen. Evan Bayh (D) had in the bank at the end of the year. But this has suddenly become a very interesting race. Move from Currently Safe to Narrow Advantage for the Incumbent Party. — Rothenberg Political Report

Democrats must have seen this coming.  Dan Coats’ name was barely in play before the Indiana Democratic Party was on the attack, dropping the “L” word and trying to beat him over the head with his representation of banks that received TARP money… a plan that Evan Bayh and Barack Obama supported.  Good one guys.  Right on message, as always.

The line of the day was reserved for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee who suggested that “Indianans won’t ignore Dan Coats’ decade as a lobbyist working the system to gain special favors for the banking industry at the time of financial collapse and at the expense of working Americans.”  Indianans?  Out of touch much?

It was fun to watch the attention shift to this race, and Democrats fall all over each other to renounce Coats’ potential candidacy.  Had they panicked in private instead of loading up my e-mail with low blows, this might have been treated like Republican insider baseball.  Instead we got a front page story with the headline, “Bayh’s Biggest Challenge Yet?”  Perfect.  Thanks guys.