Indiana Dems - do you run a strong challenger against Lugar in case he gets

[freepcrusher]

teabagged? If so, who would you run. I'm thinking Ellsworth or Carson would be a good option.

[Horus]

Carson is a Muslim, he can't win statewide in Indiana.

Ellsworth could win against Mourdock although it still isn't likely nor would I be enthusiastic about his candidacy. Basically he'd just be another Evan Bayh.

[All Along The Watchtower]

I doubt they have one. The Indiana Democratic Party is pretty weak, no?

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Ellsworth and Donnelly are potentially strong candidates.

Depends on Lugar's primarier, but it is a potential pickup opportunity.

[freepcrusher]

I doubt they have one. The Indiana Democratic Party is pretty weak, no?

indiana is a republican state no doubt but they can occasionally elect democrats. They had a dem governor from 1989-2005 and they have elected democrats in the past like Hartke or Bayh. Politically, its similar to Nebraska or the Dakotas.

[tmthforu94]

*Jumps In*

I think the Democrats need to run someone who's moderate, likeable, and well-known. That pretty much narrows it down to two people: Brad Ellsworth and Baron Hill. I can speak as a Lugar supporter saying if Lugar loses the primary and one of those two is the Democratic nominee, I'll vote for them. If a liberal is nominated, or Silent Joe, I'd likely support the Libertarian candidate again. I really dislike Mourdock, and I know I'm not the only person who'd be a Lugar/Ellsworth voter.

That being said, I think one of those two will jump in at the last minute if it appears Lugar is going down in flames. Mourdock has started his campaign and is going hard and negative pretty early, so we'll likely have a good idea on how this is going to go down before the filing deadline in February.