The Case for Marlin Stutzman
In 1998, faced with a challenge from popular Governor Evan Bayh, then Senator Dan Coats declined to run for a second term, effectively handing his seat over to the Democrats. Though he now cites his adamant belief in term limits for the decision, at the time he complained of the stresses of constant campaign fundraising.
Flash forward to 2009. Popular Governor Evan Bayh became popular Senator Evan Bayh, and even in a year where Democratic policies were falling increasingly out of favor, his 2010 reelection seemed inevitable. But that didn’t stop State Senator Marlin Stutzman from mounting an aggressive campaign to unseat him.
The contrast is clear. Long before the polls showed Senator Bayh vulnerable and Dan Coats sensed the opportunity to return to Indiana to take his old seat back, long before John Hostettler decided to get back into politics, long before Todd Rokita or Mike Pence ever flirted with the idea of running for Senate, Marlin Stutzman was travelling the state, talking to Hoosiers, and spreading his message that politicians need to “change Washington, not America.” If Dan Coats had shown half of that tenacity in 1998, there would have been no “Senator” Bayh in the first place.
Despite the rhetoric coming from some in the Tea Parties, Dan Coats is not a RINO. He’s a good, honorable, mostly conservative man, and in his day he was a good, honorable, mostly conservative senator — with a few notable exceptions, of course. But if his past has proven him to be a good Republican, it has not proven him to be a good fighter.
Republican voters should not be too comforted by recent polls showing Coats with a massive lead over presumptive Democratic nominee Brad Ellsworth — this is a very early stage of the campaign, in a state where competitive senate races are a rarity. The polls will eventually tighten. At this point, it’s all about name recognition. Voters know Coats, but not Ellsworth. The Coats they know, however, is from the 1990s. His time as a lobbyist since then gives him plenty of exploitable negatives — negatives that diminish his appeal to both the left and the right. And Ellsworth’s time as a sheriff likewise gives him plenty of exploitable positives, that will increase his appeal to both sides of the aisle.
It would be foolish to assume that this election will be easy. Most elections aren’t. And even when they are, it is foolish to approach them half-heartedly. When Hoosier Republicans go to the polls on May 4 to choose their candidate, they need to ask themselves the question: do they want the man who backs down in the face of tough challenges, or the man takes them on enthusiastically?
Which of those men is more likely to win this election? And which of them is more likely to serve our interests with vigor in Washington D.C.?
Disclaimer: As noted on our blog page, this piece represents the views of the author alone, and not the Wabash Conservative Union.
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Great article! Marlin Stutzman is the true conservative of the bunch. The NRA came out last week saying that if Dan Coats wins the primary that they will endorse Brad Ellsworth. Therefore, let’s elect a real conservative this May. A pro-lifer, NRA member, and conservative, Marlin Stutzman is what our state and country needs.