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Evan Bayh stumps for Joe Donnelly

Brandon Smith
/
Indiana Public Broadcasting

Former Indiana governor and U.S. Senator Evan Bayh is hitting the campaign trail with Senate candidate Joe Donnelly.

The two will make several stops across the state in the next few days in what they’re calling a “Main Street tour” of Indiana.

Bayh says appearing with Donnelly is not about trying to rally the Democratic base around a conservative Democrat.

“Oh I think the Democratic base is squarely in Joe Donnelly’s camp and we need to build on that and reach out to independents and Republicans because not only is that the politically sensible thing to do, it’s the only way we’re going to make progress in Washington.”

Donnelly says aligning himself with the model of legislators like Bayh and outgoing Republican Senator Dick Lugar connects with voters.

“For me to try to make sure to keep people like Senator Bayh in mind, Senator Lugar in mind where you look and you go, ‘This is who we are as Hoosiers,’ it can’t help but be beneficial.”

But national Republicans backing Donnelly’s opponent, Richard Mourdock, say Bayh and Donnelly share a record of supporting President Obama and his policies - a record they say Hoosier voters will reject.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.