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Fresh Off Employing Evan Bayh, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Attacks Him Fresh Off Employing Evan Bayh, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Attacks Him
(about 3 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Until just a few months ago, Evan Bayh was working for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Now the chamber is working as hard as it can against him.WASHINGTON — Until just a few months ago, Evan Bayh was working for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Now the chamber is working as hard as it can against him.
In a campaign twist with significance in the battle for the Senate, the nation’s leading business lobby is going all out to defeat Mr. Bayh, the former Democratic senator from Indiana trying to reclaim his old seat. The chamber is doing so despite the fact that Mr. Bayh, considered a business-friendly centrist, was on the chamber payroll as recently as June and made appearances on the organization’s behalf after leaving the Senate in 2011.In a campaign twist with significance in the battle for the Senate, the nation’s leading business lobby is going all out to defeat Mr. Bayh, the former Democratic senator from Indiana trying to reclaim his old seat. The chamber is doing so despite the fact that Mr. Bayh, considered a business-friendly centrist, was on the chamber payroll as recently as June and made appearances on the organization’s behalf after leaving the Senate in 2011.
The chamber’s decision to attack its former ally has angered Senate Democrats to no end because capturing the Indiana seat is a crucial element of their plan to take back the Senate majority. Democrats’ efforts to persuade the chamber to stay out of the race as a demonstration of bipartisanship were rebuffed. The result has strained ties with Democrats, who might be chilly to future overtures from the chamber, particularly if they are running the Senate.The chamber’s decision to attack its former ally has angered Senate Democrats to no end because capturing the Indiana seat is a crucial element of their plan to take back the Senate majority. Democrats’ efforts to persuade the chamber to stay out of the race as a demonstration of bipartisanship were rebuffed. The result has strained ties with Democrats, who might be chilly to future overtures from the chamber, particularly if they are running the Senate.
“The fact that the U.S. Chamber has spent millions against Evan Bayh, a pro-business candidate who has even served on some of their advisory boards, rips away any pretense of bipartisanship,” Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, in line to be Democratic leader, said in a statement. “The national headquarters is a totally partisan place and has dramatically hurt their ability to work with our caucus in 2017.”“The fact that the U.S. Chamber has spent millions against Evan Bayh, a pro-business candidate who has even served on some of their advisory boards, rips away any pretense of bipartisanship,” Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, in line to be Democratic leader, said in a statement. “The national headquarters is a totally partisan place and has dramatically hurt their ability to work with our caucus in 2017.”
Chamber officials say it is Democrats who have moved away from them over the years, embracing policies that make it more difficult for the chamber to support them.Chamber officials say it is Democrats who have moved away from them over the years, embracing policies that make it more difficult for the chamber to support them.
In Mr. Bayh’s case, chamber officials say, it is strictly a numbers game, noting that he compiled a failing 55 percent voting record on chamber issues during his Senate tenure while Representative Todd Young, his Republican challenger, has a 91 percent rating. A 70 percent or better score is necessary for a chamber endorsement, and the group has seen the number of qualifying Democrats shrink in recent election cycles.In Mr. Bayh’s case, chamber officials say, it is strictly a numbers game, noting that he compiled a failing 55 percent voting record on chamber issues during his Senate tenure while Representative Todd Young, his Republican challenger, has a 91 percent rating. A 70 percent or better score is necessary for a chamber endorsement, and the group has seen the number of qualifying Democrats shrink in recent election cycles.
“If Mr. Schumer believes that a middle-of-the-road F is pro-business, he is wrong, and Hoosiers will have a fundamentally different view,” said Rob Engstrom, a senior vice president and the national political director for the chamber.“If Mr. Schumer believes that a middle-of-the-road F is pro-business, he is wrong, and Hoosiers will have a fundamentally different view,” said Rob Engstrom, a senior vice president and the national political director for the chamber.
For Mr. Bayh, the chamber’s move is a disappointment that illustrates what is wrong with Washington.For Mr. Bayh, the chamber’s move is a disappointment that illustrates what is wrong with Washington.
“I was disappointed to see the U.S. Chamber putting partisan politics over a longstanding relationship,” Mr. Bayh said in a statement issued by his campaign. “I was pleased to work with the chamber for many years and have actually agreed with them on several important issues. Their decision reflects just how polarized and partisan Washington has become.”“I was disappointed to see the U.S. Chamber putting partisan politics over a longstanding relationship,” Mr. Bayh said in a statement issued by his campaign. “I was pleased to work with the chamber for many years and have actually agreed with them on several important issues. Their decision reflects just how polarized and partisan Washington has become.”
It also shows the unusual squeeze Mr. Bayh is in. Republicans are attacking him for a post-Senate career that included lucrative consulting and corporate roles — a record they say shows Mr. Bayh has forsaken his Hoosier roots. At the same time, he is under attack from the organization that is the very embodiment of business interests only months after being on its payroll. Beginning in 2011, Mr. Bayh was a spokesman for the chamber on the perceived dangers of government over-regulation. The chamber would not disclose how much he was paid.
Now, Mr. Bayh is in an unusual squeeze. Republicans are attacking him for a post-Senate career that included lucrative consulting and corporate roles — a record they say shows Mr. Bayh has forsaken his Hoosier roots. At the same time, he is under attack from the organization that is the very embodiment of business interests only months after being on its payroll.
The chamber has hit Mr. Bayh with ads critical of his support for the new health care law when he was a member of the Senate.The chamber has hit Mr. Bayh with ads critical of his support for the new health care law when he was a member of the Senate.
The Indiana race is unique in this cycle. Until Mr. Bayh, also a former governor and the son of a popular former senator, decided to run, it was safely assumed to be in the Republican column and not part of the chess match that would decide Senate control.The Indiana race is unique in this cycle. Until Mr. Bayh, also a former governor and the son of a popular former senator, decided to run, it was safely assumed to be in the Republican column and not part of the chess match that would decide Senate control.
But polling showed that Mr. Bayh, who was sitting on about $10 million in unused campaign cash, remained extremely popular in the state and had a commanding edge even when potential voters were told about his corporate work in Washington.But polling showed that Mr. Bayh, who was sitting on about $10 million in unused campaign cash, remained extremely popular in the state and had a commanding edge even when potential voters were told about his corporate work in Washington.
Suddenly faced with the danger of losing a sure seat, Republicans quickly mounted a campaign against Mr. Bayh and focused on his lack of connection to the state in recent years to keep him from gliding to election after a six-year absence.Suddenly faced with the danger of losing a sure seat, Republicans quickly mounted a campaign against Mr. Bayh and focused on his lack of connection to the state in recent years to keep him from gliding to election after a six-year absence.
“It isn’t going to be as easy as he thinks it is,” Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and majority leader, told me this summer, referring to Mr. Bayh. “We are going to go after him.”“It isn’t going to be as easy as he thinks it is,” Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and majority leader, told me this summer, referring to Mr. Bayh. “We are going to go after him.”
In contrast to Midwestern states like Illinois and Wisconsin, where Republicans are on defense at least partly because of public rejection of Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee is not as much of an anchor in Indiana, a state he is likely to carry next month. That political dynamic provided an opportunity for the chamber to help Republicans hold the Senate even if meant taking on a man who had so recently been considered a partner.In contrast to Midwestern states like Illinois and Wisconsin, where Republicans are on defense at least partly because of public rejection of Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee is not as much of an anchor in Indiana, a state he is likely to carry next month. That political dynamic provided an opportunity for the chamber to help Republicans hold the Senate even if meant taking on a man who had so recently been considered a partner.
The chamber finds itself in turbulent political waters these days. On some major issues such as immigration reform, the Export-Import Bank and infrastructure spending, the business lobby is aligned more with Democrats than Republicans.The chamber finds itself in turbulent political waters these days. On some major issues such as immigration reform, the Export-Import Bank and infrastructure spending, the business lobby is aligned more with Democrats than Republicans.
At the same time, some conservative groups and Republican lawmakers have broken sharply with the chamber, portraying the organization as a greedy advocate of crony capitalism eager for a government handout.At the same time, some conservative groups and Republican lawmakers have broken sharply with the chamber, portraying the organization as a greedy advocate of crony capitalism eager for a government handout.
Still, the chamber, with its fundamental focus on keeping both government regulation and taxes low, tends to favor Republicans over Democrats, as Mr. Bayh so abruptly found out.Still, the chamber, with its fundamental focus on keeping both government regulation and taxes low, tends to favor Republicans over Democrats, as Mr. Bayh so abruptly found out.
It was also new proof of the adage often, and probably inaccurately, attributed to President Harry S. Truman: If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.It was also new proof of the adage often, and probably inaccurately, attributed to President Harry S. Truman: If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.