Indiana Senate race heats up

Will Hoosiers see a ripple effect from Massachusetts’ special senate election in 2010?

That is the question on the minds of Indiana politicians after Republican Scott Brown of Massachusetts filled the seat of former Democrat Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Indiana State Senator and primary candidate Marlin  Stutzman-R said Republicans will have an advantage against Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., in the 2010 election, particularly with the health care debate.

“Senator Bayh is trying to play both sides by talking fiscally conservative but voting for a liberal agenda in Washington,” Stutzman said. “I think it gives us a great chance.”

The Massachusetts election indicated that voters oppose liberal policies being passed quickly, said Trevor Foughty, Indiana Republican Party spokesman.

“Evan Bayh has voted for much of that agenda, and he will be very vulnerable this fall as a result,” Foughty said.

While Bayh has supported federal health care legislation so far, Stutzman said state government should determine health care legislation instead.

“We have a better understanding of the challenges that we have here in Indiana, better than Washington D.C,” Stutzman said.

However, Indiana Democrats are not threatened by the Massachusetts election, Indiana Democratic Party Spokesman Thomas Cook said.

“Comparing that to what’s going on in Indiana is extremely difficult if not impossible,” Cook said. “There are completely different situations on the ground.”

Democrats are confident Bayh will retain his seat because he has a strong base of voters, Cook said.