Local woman to challenge Bayh in May primaries

Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., will have competition for his seat in Congress this year as Bloomington resident Tamyra d’Ippolito plans to challenge him in the May 4 democratic primary.

Campaign treasurer David A. Bishop said that d’Ippolito is “running for Senate as a citizen, not a politician,” a sentiment echoed on her Web site, www.tamyraforsenate.com.

In Bloomington, d’Ippolito owns and operates the Ragazzi Arte Café at 4001 E. Third St.

On her Web site, d’Ippolito credits much of her motivation and political knowledge to her work as the campaign manager on Gretchen Clearwater’s 2006 run for Congress.

“I applaud Tamyra for running,” Clearwater said. “We are long, long, long overdue for a woman senator for Indiana.”

Clearwater pointed out that the last Congresswoman to represent Indiana was Democrat Julia Carson, who served in the House of Representatives for almost 11 years until her death in 2007. Her grandson, Andre Carson, now represents Indiana’s 7th district in the House.

“It’s a men’s seat,” Clearwater said. “It’s not for a lack of qualified women.”
Clearwater also contradicted what she said is a common misconception of Bayh’s popularity, saying that there is a perception that he has higher constituent approval than he actually does.

“Many of us have been disappointed in him for many years,” she said.

Diagnosed with colon cancer five years ago, d’Ippolito was unable to get health insurance because of her pre-existing condition.

“As a cancer survivor and small business owner, health reform is an issue that directly affects me, like many Indiana residents,” d’Ippolito wrote on her Web site.

Though she is a Democrat, there is a good chance d’Ippolito will not receive any official support from the Indiana Democratic Party, said Jenny Hill Weiser, the party’s executive director.

“Typically, we are supportive of our incumbent members,” she said.

However, at this stage in the campaign, it is too early to make definitive statements.

“I think it’s probably a question of whether she can get on the ballot,” Weiser said, citing regulations.

d’Ippolito is a past board member of Women Inspire and serves on the Volunteers in Medicine Advisory Board.

In addition to her Web site, d’Ippolito has both a Twitter and a Facebook fan page for voters to follow.