Reports: Ellsworth expected to run for Senate

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Democratic Congressman Brad Ellsworth is on the verge of entering the race for U.S. Senate.

Ellsworth is shooting down reports that he has already made up his mind to seek the ballot vacancy created by Evan Bayh's retirement. But, by all accounts, those reports are premature, not inaccurate.

Republican Dan Coats, meantime, filed the petitions necessary to get his name on the May primary ballot.

His wife Marsha came with him to the Secretary of State's office where he said, "We want to try to represent Hoosier values that Hoosiers believe in."

To do that Coats must survive criticism that he is the Washington candidate in this race.

Fellow Republican and Tea Party organizer Richard Behney made that case as he filed his petitions becoming the 5th GOP candidate to qualify for the ballot.

"It just makes it even more clear how inside the beltway, party's really out of touch," said Behney.

Coats, when asked how he will overcome that thinking, said only, "We're here in Indiana. We're here to stay."

He declined direct comment on the likelihood that Ellsworth will be the Democratic nominee focusing instead on his own message, "I want to talk about substantive issues and what we need to dig ourselves out of this crisis and out of this hole and get people back to work."

Coats is beginning this race as the favorite, but there is no guarantee that he will survive a 5-way primary.

Whoever does faces the prospect of being bruised and broke while the Democrat has almost three months to prepare for what comes next.

And, again, as other candidates back away, every indication is that Ellsworth will be that candidate and an announcement is expected as early as Friday.