Bayh Bye

Evan Bayh, Democrat senator from Indiana, will not run for re-election. Chris Cilizza of the WaPo reports:

"After all these years, my passion for service to my fellow citizens is undiminished, but my desire to do so by serving in Congress has waned," Bayh will say, according to prepared remarks obtained by the Fix. He will make the decision formal at a press conference later today.

This raises the possibility that Bayh may run as a challenger to Barack Obama, if his performance continues to disappoint his supporters, while outraging the tight and growing parts of the American political center. Bayh has made no secret of his presidential aspirations in the longer run.

Richard Baehr comments:

The GOP, with 41 Senate seats now, has 8 prime pickup opportunities; Indiana, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Delaware, North Dakota, Nevada, Colorado and Illinois. Several others are possible pickups with the right GOP nominee: Wisconsin, Washington, New York, California. The idea of a GOP capture of the Senate is no longer the longest of longshots.

Don't forget Joe Lieberman. Will he run as a Democrat in 2012? I doubt it. So he could become a Republican in the vote for Majority Leader in 2011.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky, Cliff Thier