Ellsworth joins McDermott in democratic primary race

The game of Democratic musical chairs became clearer Friday when Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-8th, announced he would be seeking the Senate seat left open by Sen. Evan Bayh’s, D-Ind., retirement from the Senate.

Ellsworth is the second democrat to officially join the race for the democratic primary bid. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr. announced he would run the day after Sen. Bayh announced he would not seek re-election in November.

Because no Democratic candidate could acquire the necessary 4,500 signatures by last Tuesday’s noon deadline, a 32-member Democratic caucus will vote sometime before June 30 on who will run as the party’s representative in the general election.

This gives other Democrats, including rumored candidate Rep. Baron Hill, D-9th, ample time to declare whether they are interested in the Senate seat.

Ellsworth’s announcement also gave State Rep. Trent Van Haaften, D-Mt. Vernon, just enough time to file for Ellsworth’s open 8th Congressional District seat before the noon deadline Friday.

“It is time Washington yells at each other less and works together more to move this great nation forward,” Van Haaften said on his Facebook page. “I hope to be part of a new solution in Washington.”

Van Haaften is the only Democrat filed to run in District 8, also known as the Bloody Eighth, while eight Republicans will battle for their party’s nomination in the district in the May 4 primary.