2010 United States Senate election in Indiana explained

Election Name:2010 United States Senate election in Indiana
Country:Indiana
Type:presidential
Ongoing:Yes
Previous Election:2004 United States Senate election in Indiana
Previous Year:2004
Next Election:2016 United States Senate election in Indiana
Next Year:2016
Election Date:November 2, 2010
Image1:File:Dan Coats, official portrait, 112th Congress.jpg
Nominee1:Dan Coats
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:952,116
Percentage1:54.58%
Nominee2:Brad Ellsworth
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:697,775
Percentage2:40.00%
Image3:3x4.svg
Nominee3:Rebecca Sink-Burris
Party3:Libertarian Party (United States)
Popular Vote3:94,330
Percentage3:5.41%
Map Size:163px
U.S. Senator
Before Election:Evan Bayh
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Dan Coats
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 2010 United States Senate election in Indiana took place on November 2, 2010, alongside 33 other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections to fill Indiana's class III United States Senate seat. Incumbent Democratic Senator Evan Bayh decided in February 2010 to retire instead of seeking a third term shortly after Dan Coats announced his candidacy.[1] Bayh's announcement came one day before the filing deadline and no Democratic candidate submitted enough signatures by the deadline to run, so the State Democratic Party chose U.S. Congressman Brad Ellsworth as their nominee. The Libertarian Party nominated YMCA instructor Rebecca Sink-Burris, who had previously unsuccessfully run for this seat in 1998. Coats won the open seat, having previously held it from 1989 to 1999. Bayh later unsuccessfully ran for this seat again in 2016.

Democratic nomination

Senate candidates in Indiana were required to have submitted 500 signatures from each of the state's nine congressional districts by February 16, 2010, one day after Bayh announced his retirement. Democratic leaders thought the popular incumbent would run for reelection, and as a result, no Democratic candidate had submitted the requisite signatures by the deadline to run in the state's primary, meaning that the Indiana Democratic Party's executive committee chose the party's nominee.[2] U.S. congressman Brad Ellsworth was officially selected on May 15.[3]

Republican primary

Candidates

Debates

Endorsements

Stutzman

Results

General election

Candidates

Campaign

After Coats' win in the Republican primary, Ellsworth began to heavily criticize Coats for his ties to lobbyists. He called for more disclosure of the meetings lawmakers have with lobbyists, banning congressional staff from lobbying for six years after their congressional jobs, requiring Congress members to put all their investments in blind trusts, more disclosure of Senate candidates' personal financial information, and changes to the U.S. Senate filibuster rules. He proposed lowering number of votes required to break a filibuster to 55 from the current 60.[10] In response to Ellsworth's charges, Coats published his lobbying record in an 815-page document.[11]

Coats emphasized the individual issues rather than ethic reforms advocated by his opponent. He focused on Ellsworth's record of voting in support of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, cap and trade legislation, and health care bill. Coats opinion of the healthcare law was that "the only responsible solution ... is to repeal the Obama-Pelosi-Ellsworth health spending bill and quickly replace it with cost-effective, incremental pieces that will decrease costs, increase coverage and not break the bank."[12]

Debates

The three candidates took part in three televised debates.[13]

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
Cook Political Report[14] October 30, 2010
Rothenberg[15] October 28, 2010
RealClearPolitics[16] October 30, 2010
Sabato's Crystal Ball[17] October 28, 2010
CQ Politics[18] October 30, 2010

Polling

Poll sourceMargin of
error		Dan
Coats (R)		Brad
Ellsworth (D)		OtherUnde
cided
Rasmussen Reports[19] February 16–17, 2010500± 3.5%46%32%7%15%
Research 2000[20] February 22–24, 2010600± 4.0%37%36%—27%
Rasmussen Reports[21] March 17–18, 2010500± 4.5%49%34%6%12%
Rasmussen Reports[22] April 13–14, 2010500± 3.5%54%33%5%9%
SurveyUSA[23] April 22–26, 2010407± 5.0%47%31%—22%
Rasmussen Reports[24] May 5–6, 2010500± 4.5%51%36%6%8%
Rasmussen Reports[25] June 2–3, 2010500± 4.5%47%33%7%14%
Rasmussen Reports[26] July 7–8, 2010500± 4.5%51%30%6%12%
The Polling Company[27] July 11–15, 2010502± 4.2%51%25%—14%
The Polling Company[28] July 31 – August 3, 2010502± 4.2%50%35%—14%
Rasmussen Reports[29] August 4–7, 2010500± 4.5%50%29%7%14%
Rasmussen Reports[30] September 14–15, 2010500± 4.5%50%34%8%9%
WISH-TV/EPIC-MRA[31] September 29 – October 1, 2010500± 4.4%51%33%5%11%
Rasmussen Reports[32] October 20, 2010500± 4.5%52%34%5%9%
WISH-TV/EPIC-MRA[33] October 19–21, 2010500± 4.4%53%35%5%7%
SurveyUSA[34] October 21–25, 20101,600± 3.0%54%32%7%3%
Indiana Times[35] October 29, 20101,600± 3.0%60%32%4%3%
Rasmussen Reports[36] October 30 – November 1, 20101,600± 3.0%60%39%4%3%

Fundraising

Candidate (Party)ReceiptsDisbursementsCash On HandDebt
Dan Coats (R)$4,408,537$3,384,413$1,024,123$185,500
Brad Ellsworth (D)$2,256,505$2,369,943$119,329$22,726
Rebecca Sink-Burris (L)$7,331$2,175$5,351$0
Source: Federal Election Commission[37]

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

See also

External links

Debates

Official candidate sites (Archived)

Notes and References

  1. News: Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh Drops Out . . Fritze, John . February 15, 2010 . February 15, 2010.
  2. Web site: Republicans furious about timing of Bayh's retirement announcement . February 16, 2010 . February 27, 2010 . . Sean J. . Miller.
  3. News: Dems make Ellsworth official pick to face Coats . May 15, 2010 . Associated Press.
  4. Web site: Former Sen. Coats to Challenge Sen. Bayh . Howey Politics Indiana . February 2, 2010 . February 4, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100204134455/http://howeypolitics.com/m/ArticleDisplay.aspx?articleid=5581&sectionid=39 . dead .
  5. Web site: Olsen . Eric . GOP Senate candidates Square Off in Warsaw RELATED LINK » Indiana News Center . indiananewscenter.com . June 9, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100315031905/http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/86721202.html . March 15, 2010 . dead .
  6. Web site: Staff Report . GOP Senate candidates to debate in Evansville RELATED LINK » Evansville Courier & Press . Courierpress.com . June 14, 2010 . June 6, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606131422/http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/apr/01/gop-senate-candidates-debate-evansville/ . dead .
  7. Web site: Dick, Gerry . Franklin College to Host GOP Senate Candidates . Inside Indiana Business . March 30, 2010 . June 14, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120229133623/http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=40895 . February 29, 2012 . dead .
  8. Web site: Langhorne . Thomas B. . Debate commission locks in Indiana Senate contenders LINK » Evansville Courier & Press . Courierpress.com . June 14, 2010 . June 6, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606131608/http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/24/hoosiers-can-submit-questions-gop-senate-debate-li/ . dead .
  9. Web site: 2010 U.S. Senate Republican Primary - Indiana Debate Commission (04-20-10) . Youtube.com . IndianaDebate . 19 October 2021.
  10. Web site: Brad Ellsworth Ellsworth for Indiana U.S. Senate Campaign News . Ellsworthforindiana2010.com . August 21, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100810182146/http://www.ellsworthforindiana2010.com/news . August 10, 2010 . dead . mdy-all .
  11. Web site: Dan Coats for Indiana . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110726000620/http://www.coatsforindiana.com/facts.pdf . July 26, 2011.
  12. Web site: Dan Coats for Indiana . Coatsforindiana.com . June 16, 2010 . August 21, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110901081618/http://www.coatsforindiana.com/2010/06/16/coats-cong-ellsworth-should-listen-to-overwhelming-majority-of-hoosiers-oppose-individual-mandates-in-health-spending-bill . September 1, 2011.
  13. Web site: Schedule for U.S. Senate debates . Indiana Debate Commission . October 10, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110713024836/http://indianadebatecommission.com/pdf/IDC%20Announces%20US%20Senate%20Debate%20Schedule.pdf . July 13, 2011 . dead .
  14. Web site: Senate . . October 30, 2010.
  15. Web site: Senate Ratings . . October 30, 2010.
  16. Web site: Battle for the Senate . . October 30, 2010.
  17. Web site: 2010 Senate Ratings . . October 30, 2010 . October 28, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101028092918/http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/category/2010-senate/ . dead .
  18. Web site: Race Ratings Chart: Senate . . October 30, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101028234525/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-senate . October 28, 2010 .
  19. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/toplines/toplines_2010_indiana_senate_february_16_17_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  20. http://www.dailykos.com/statepoll/2010/2/24/IN/449 Research 2000
  21. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/toplines/toplines_2010_indiana_senate_march_17_18_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  22. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/toplines/toplines_2010_indiana_senate_april_13_14_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  23. http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/6809/insen-in03-coats-leads-souder-vulnerable SurveyUSA
  24. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/toplines/toplines_2010_indiana_senate_may_5_6_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  25. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/toplines/toplines_2010_indiana_senate_june_2_3_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  26. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/election_2010_indiana_senate Rasmussen Reports
  27. https://web.archive.org/web/20100821062019/http://www.sba-list.org/atf/cf/%7B482eea2d-175c-4e1d-a859-84d48dfd5852%7D/SBAL%20-%20INDIANA%20WITH%20OVERSAMPLE%20POST-VOTE%20SURVEY%20TOPLINE%20DATA%20TO%20CLIENT%208.3.10.PDF The Polling Company
  28. https://web.archive.org/web/20100821062019/http://www.sba-list.org/atf/cf/%7B482eea2d-175c-4e1d-a859-84d48dfd5852%7D/SBAL%20-%20INDIANA%20WITH%20OVERSAMPLE%20POST-VOTE%20SURVEY%20TOPLINE%20DATA%20TO%20CLIENT%208.3.10.PDF The Polling Company
  29. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/election_2010_indiana_senate Rasmussen Reports
  30. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/toplines/toplines_indiana_senate_september_14_15_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  31. http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/elections/candidates/wish-tv-poll-coats-leads-senate-race WISH-TV/EPIC-MRA
  32. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/indiana/questions/questions_indiana_senate_october_20_21_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  33. http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/politics/polls/coats-keeps-solid-lead-in-senate-race WISH-TV/EPIC-MRA
  34. http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101026/BREAKING/10260345 SurveyUSA
  35. http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101026/BREAKING/10260345 Indiana Times
  36. http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101026/BREAKING/10260345 Rasmussen Reports
  37. Web site: 2010 House and Senate Campaign Finance for Indiana . fec.gov . July 25, 2010 .

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