Rep. Marlin Stutzman declares Senate bid

by Elise Viebeck - 05/09/15 9:45 AM ET

Conservative Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) entered the race for Indiana Senate on Saturday, joining a former chief of staff for retiring Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) in the Republican primary.

Stutzman, who began his political career in the Indiana state legislature, sought a Senate seat in 2010 but was defeated by Coats in the primary.

{mosads}He went on to win a House seat following the resignation of former Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) and was elected as part of the 2010 Tea Party wave.

Stutzman’s entry into the Senate race will immediately produce tensions with former Coats staffer Eric Holcomb, who is considered a more business-friendly candidate for the Republican nomination.

Democrats have predicted that a Tea Party candidate will push the field to the right, giving Dems a better chance in the final race.

“We’re confident that no matter who runs on our side, it’s a close race,” Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Justin Barasky told Roll Call. “And they have the potential to have a messy primary and make things more difficult for themselves.”

Stutzman is known as a thorn in the side of House GOP leadership, a quality that endears him to conservative voters. He voted against Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) for speaker this year.

Reps. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Todd Rokita (R-Ind.) are also weighing Senate bids of their own.

– Updated at 2:10 p.m.

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