Brad Ellsworth

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As of June 30, 2006, Hostettler had raised $287,000 and had $195,000 on hand, compared to Ellsworth's $1,036,000 raised and $676,000 on hand. However, Hostettler had won several campaigns against opponents with more funding than him. In addition, the National Republican Congressional Committee had spent $163,000 in his district as of mid-July 2006. (The DCCC, its counterpart, had spent $166,000 for Ellsworth as of that date.) [11] [12]

The Cook Political Report, an independent non-partisan newsletter, listed the race as a toss-up as of mid-August. [13] As of early September, the Rothenberg Political Report called Hostettler one of the three most endangered House incumbents in the country; Chris Cillizza, political analyst for The Washington Post , ranked Hostettler as the most vulnerable House incumbent in the nation; and Robert D. Novak, a syndicated columnist and editor of the Evans-Novak Political Report, also rated Hostettler's seat a likely win for Ellsworth. [14]

In mid-October, an opinion poll commissioned by the Evansville Courier & Press showed Ellsworth leading Hostettler, 55% to 32%. [15]

Hostettler debated Ellsworth on October 23, 2006. The debate was at public television station WVUT at Vincennes University, and involved the League of Women Voters. [16]

Ellsworth won a landslide victory on November 7, 2006. He took 61% of the vote to Hostettler's 39%, which was by far the largest defeat for a House incumbent in the 2006 election. The seat was the first of 30 to flip from Republican to Democratic in the 2006 cycle.

2008

Two years later, on November 4, 2008, Ellsworth won reelection, easily defeating Republican candidate Greg Goode 65% to 35%.

2010 U.S. Senate campaign

On February 19, 2010, Ellsworth announced his candidacy in the 2010 U.S. Senate election for the seat in the United States Senate held by Democrat Evan Bayh, who was retiring. [17] Since Bayh made his announcement the day before the deadline for filing for the primary, no Democrat was able to gather a sufficient number of signatures to qualify for the primary ballot, forcing the Democratic state committee to choose the Senate nominee. [18] [19] Ultimately, the committee chose Ellsworth.

He was defeated in the November election by Dan Coats, who had previously held the seat from 1989 to 1999, taking 40 percent of the vote. Ellsworth even lost his own congressional district; he carried Vigo County (home to Terre Haute) but failed to carry his home county of Vanderburgh. [20] State representative Trent Van Haaften replaced Ellsworth on the ballot for the 8th, but lost to Republican Larry Bucshon with only 37 percent of the vote. The Democrats have crossed the 40 percent mark in the district only once since Ellsworth left office.

Following his defeat, Ellsworth joined Evansville-based Vectren Corporation as president of its southern Indiana gas and electric utility division. [21]

Electoral history

Brad Ellsworth
Brad Ellsworth, official 110th Congress photo.jpg
Member of the U.S.HouseofRepresentatives
from Indiana's 8th district
In office
January 3, 2007 January 3, 2011
United States House of Representatives General Election, 2006
Indiana's 8th congressional district
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Brad Ellsworth131,01961.0%
Republican John Hostettler (incumbent)83,70439.0%
Turnout 214,72346%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing
United States House of Representatives General Election, 2008
Indiana's 8th congressional district
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Brad Ellsworth (incumbent)188,69364.7%+3.7%
Republican Greg Goode 102,76935.3%
Turnout 291,46260%
Democratic hold Swing
United States Senate General election results, 2010
Indiana's Class III Senate Seat [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Dan Coats952,11654.60%+17.37%
Democratic Brad Ellsworth697,77540.01%-21.64%
Libertarian Rebecca Sink-Burris94,3305.39%+4.27%
Majority254,34114.58%
Total votes1,743,921 100
Republican gain from Democratic Swing

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References

  1. "2007 Financial Disclosure Statement" (PDF). The Washington Post . 2007-05-07.
  2. Rothstein, Betsy (2007-08-01). "50 Most Beautiful fallout: Rep. Ellsworth's mom questions her son's placement on list". The Hill . Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  3. "Rose-Hulman Class of 2008 Encouraged to Help Make a Difference". 24 May 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
  4. "Votes by Brad Ellsworth | Congressional votes database | washingtonpost.com". Projects.washingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-29. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  5. "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 70". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. 2009-02-13.
  6. "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 20". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives . Retrieved 2007-02-20.
  7. TheHill.com - Dems lash out at activist group on abortion issue
  8. Americans United for Life: Rep. Ellsworth’s Proposal Does Not Prevent Abortion Funding in Health Care Reform Archived March 15, 2010, at the Wayback Machine . November 5, 2009. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
  9. "NEWS/TALK 1010 WCSI Radio - WCSI Weather - Columbus Indiana". Wcsi.whiterivernews.com. 2010-03-22. Archived from the original on 2010-12-29. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  10. Langhorne, Thomas B., "Is pork Protecting Ellsworth?" Evansville Courier and Press, July 29. 2007.
  11. Thomas B. Langhorne, "Hostettler 'war chest' a little light, pundit says", Evansville Courier & Press, July 17, 2006
  12. Maureen Groppe, "Indiana candidates raise big bucks for tight races: $1 million or more in war chest isn't unusual this competitive year, finance reports show", Indianapolis Star, July 18, 2006
  13. Competitive Race Chart Archived 2006-10-25 at the Wayback Machine , Cook Political Report, August 16, 2006
  14. Thomas B. Langhorne, "Hostettler inactivity curious", Evansville Courier & Press, September 3, 2006
  15. Thomas B. Langhorne, "Ellsworth widens lead in poll: ISU questions likely voters in 8th District follow-up survey", Evansville Courier & Press, October 15, 2006
  16. "Hostettler agrees to debate date", Evansville Courier & Press, August 30, 2006
  17. Trygstad, Kyle (2010-02-19). "Politics Nation - It's Official: Ellsworth Enters Indiana Senate Race". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  18. Cillizza, Chris (February 15, 2010). "Evan Bayh won't seek re-election, Senate majority in play?". The Washington Post . Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  19. Martin, Jonathan (February 15, 2010). "Challenger adds to post-Bayh chaos". Politico .
  20. "2010 Election Results - State of Indiana" (PDF). Indiana Election Division. 2010-12-27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-02-23. Retrieved 2014-12-24.
  21. "Vectren picks Ellsworth as division president". Indianapolis Star. 2011-03-04. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  22. Secretary of State : Elections Division: Election Foundation Wide
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 8th congressional district

2007–2011
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Indiana
(Class 3)

2010
Succeeded by
Baron Hill
Withdrew
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative
Succeeded byas Former US Representative