After a brutal Friday afternoon in which Evan Bayh learned he spent over half his campaign war chest to lose 17 points in the polls, and the Indianapolis Star released an embarrassing video featuring Bayh’s “neighbors” confirming that Bayh doesn’t actually live in his Indianapolis condo, the Washington superlobbyist probably needed an uneventful weekend.
He didn’t get it.
Yesterday, the Indianapolis Star ran a devastating front page spread telling a tale of two very different candidates – Washington resident and insider Evan Bayh, who continues to lie about living in Indiana, and Todd Young, a Marine who sleeps on his office couch when he has to stay in Washington. The contrast couldn’t be more stark:
The Star’s look at Bayh’s residency confirms that the Senator-turned-lobbyist left Indiana for good years ago but still won’t answer questions about how much time he actually spends there even as he runs for statewide office:
“Bayh declined to say why he didn’t move back to Indiana, as he indicated he would, after his sons graduated from high school. And he declined to answer questions about his income tax forms that would help show how much time he spent in Indiana last year…”
“One Hoosier who has lived next door to Bayh’s Indianapolis condo building for three years is bothered by the fact that she didn’t even know Bayh was her neighbor.
“‘I think that’s very concerning. Like you don’t even make your presence out here,’ said Patrice Rogers, 36. ‘I see him on TV all the time. But I didn’t know he lived out here. Shocking to me.’”
Meanwhile, Todd Young told the Star that he spends so little time in Washington that he couldn’t justify the expense of a home in D.C. (Evan Bayh has two multi-million dollar Washington homes, in case you forgot.):
“When Rep. Todd Young finishes his Washington work for the night, he has a short commute.
“The Bloomington Republican stretches out on the couch in his Capitol Hill office or — if his back his bothering him — lies on a mattress on the floor.”
“‘I spend roughly two out of every three nights at my house in Indiana,’ Young said. ‘I just find it hard to justify having an apartment in a place where I spend so little time.’”
With Bayh’s poll numbers sinking, and still unable to give an honest answer about his residency, it’s sure looking like this race is hardly deserving of the ‘slam dunk’ billing national Democrats gave it five very long days ago.