If Dan Coats was uncomfortable…he didn’t let on.
Coats was there today with his four fellow-Republicans at the Kosciusko County (IN) Tea Party debate for Senate candidates. To use a Hoosier hoops analogy…Coats was not “the home team”. In Tea Party circles…the former US Senator is often criticized as an “insider”…or as an “establishment candidate”. Both terms are uncomplimentary…intended to demean. Tea Party folks consider career politicians as the root of problems with the federal government…and Coats served in both houses of Congress.
So, there was Coats…facing a standing room only crowd of 400-plus at the Center Lake Pavillion in Warsaw. Both candidates with Tea Party credentials…Don Bates, Jr. and Richard Behney…were greeted with cheers. Coats got just polite applause.
During opening statements, the digs against Coats began. “Welcome back to the great state of Indiana,” said Behney. It was a reminder to the Tea Party crowd that Coats had left years ago to live in Washington.
State Senator Marlin Stutzman followed…and reminded the audience that as Senator…Coats had cast votes in favor of confirming future Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayer and for high-court justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg…both considered liberal jurists.
John Hostettler piled on. A former Congressman himself…Hostettler talked about “former office holders” who were friends of Senator John McCain who (during his 2008 presidential bid) proposed spending $300B on failing home mortgages. (Such spending is precisely the type of federal intervention Tea Party folks thing is beyond the government’s authority.)
Through it all…Coats kept his cool. He talked about his faith. He talked about freedom. He talked about eliminating federal ‘earmarks’. He talked about abolishing the US Department of Education. All met with approval of the Tea Partiers gathered.
The Tea Party movement in Indiana has developed into a significant force. Several of these state groups have targeted the Senate race a way to make their mark. Many admit to being dissatisfied Republicans…who see a chance to select the GOP nominee.
Afterwards…Coats told Fox News he was ready to talk to Hoosiers anywhere in the state…and that includes Tea Party folks.
Later this month…there is another Tea Party debate. This time in Huntington. To that event, Coats is the only candidate yet to confirm he’ll be there.