Indiana politics was stunned the other day when two-term Democratic Senator Evan Bayh announced he would not seek reelection.  The Bayh family has been something of an Indiana political dynasty and have been compared to the Kennedy's although; unlike the Kennedy's, they are essentially moral individuals who have flawed political convictions.  A number of Republican candidates have thrown their hats into the ring and eventually some Democrats will as well.  This is now a wide open race which had previously been a cinch win for Bayh despite this year's difficult political environment for Democrats.

Anti-incumbency sentiment is in the year and many people are looking for a "fresh start" to address our country's compelling political, economic, social, and national security travails.  In many areas of the country a "throw the rascals out" sentiment is justifiably present.  In Indiana, however, we are blessed that a conservative statesman who has extensive congressional and governmental experience has decided to seek the call of public service again.  At a time, when our country and Congress urgently need wise and experienced Conservative leadership, we would be wise to accept Dan Coats' candidacy to run for the Senate again.

Coats served as the congressional representative for northeastern Indiana's 4th district from 1981-1989.  When Dan Quayle was elected Vice-President in 1988, then Gov. Robert Orr appointed Coats to Quayle's Senate seat.  Coats won election to this seat in 1990 and 1992 before deciding to retire in 1998.  Since that time Coats has served as U.S. Ambassador to Germany, an important European ally, and served as a lobbyist for various organizations.

During his time in the Senate, Coats served on the Armed Services, Intelligence, and the Labor & Human Resources Committee (now Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee.)  He developed a reputation for doing substantive work and seeking to enhance the national interest by working with his colleagues (regardless of their beliefs) without compromising his beliefs as a full spectrum conservative.  Coats was a strong advocate for the best interests of the American family and remains committed to the traditional social values such as protecting the life of the unborn, defending traditional marriage, supporting policies that keep the government's budget balanced and enable individuals, families, and our nation to live within its means.  He will also oppose idiotic and reckless social experiments such as repealing "Don't ask,  Don't tell," which would destroy military cohesion at a time of acute national security challenges for our uniformed personnel.  Coats supports a strong and forceful national defense that will enable us to fight and defeat Islamist terrorism while effectively addressing emerging national security threats such as the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs, information warfare, and other threats which may emanate from an increasingly assertive China.

Dan Coats will not require on-the-job training if he's elected again because he's familiar with Senate institutional practices.  He will be able to begin serving Hoosiers and fighting for our national interests once he's sworn in.  One of his primary opponents State Senator Marlin Stutzman has, in a surprisingly leftist populist attack, claimed that Coats work has a lobbyist somehow makes him unsuited to be a Senator.  I would remind Stutzman that he needs to read the U.S. Constitution which permits citizens to petition the Government for redress.  Individuals and organizations have a clear constitutional right to petition all branches of all levels of government to pursue policies that are advantageous to their individual or organizational interests.  While some lobbyists are unethical, there are plenty of lobbyists who pursue their trade honorably and within the letter and spirit of the law.  Unless Stutzman can document specific examples of illegal behavior by Coats he should concentrate on other more important issues.  Coats may have lobbied for foreign governments, but these governments are allowed to present their views on public policy issues affecting their countries, just as the U.S. Government is allowed to present its views on legislation or regulations affecting it and U.S. citizens and companies in foreign countries.  Do we really want to restrict the ability of the U.S. to lobby for favorable policies in foreign countries if we deny the same rights to foreign governments in the U.S.?

The late South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond made a wonderful assessment of Senator Coats in a 1998 farewell address on the Senate floor as the following passage demonstrates:

"The Midwest has the uncanny way of producing men and women of imminent sense and decency, individuals who have the ability to see to the heart of a matter and find a way to resolve a problem.  Such skill is extremely valuable in the U.S. Senate, a body by its very design that is supposed to foster compromise between legislators on issues before the Nation.  Without question, DAN COATS is a Senator who worked hard to bring parties together, find common ground, and to get legislation passed.  That is certainly a fine legacy with which to leave this institution." [Senate Document 105-35, p. 12].

The nation needs to do more than express visceral emotive opposition to Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi.  We need to elect proven and principled Conservative leaders who will present credible alternatives to Obama's failing economic, social, moral, foreign relations, and national security policies.  We need the prudential wisdom of Conservative servant leaders and elder statesmen like Dan Coats in the United States at this time in our history.