Why Sen. Bayh's retirement is bad for LGBT rights

Indiana State Senator Evan Bayh has never been what you could call a fierce LGBT rights advocate. Throughout his career in Indiana and United States politics, Bayh culled disdain from several of his Democrat peers for his unwillingness to align himself with the more liberal issues; including marriage equality and LGBT rights.

The controversy and fear surrounding his retirement is therefore based on the perceived mess he will leave behind. With concern already focused on the Senate's ability to remain in Democratic control, Bayh's exit emphasizes the dire lack of bipartisanship in both the Senate and the House.

The announcement of Bayh's retirement follows on the heels of not only Republican Scott Brown's senatorial victory in Massachusetts, but also announcements from senior Democratic Senators Byron Dorgan (N.D.) and Christopher Dodd (Conn.) stating that they will not seek reelection.

Combined with Bayh's announcement, this news indicates that come autumn, Republicans could reclaim control of the Senate.

Despite voting against a constitutional ban on gay marriage in June of 2006, Bayh received a rating of only 89% from pro-gay Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and later came out publicly in opposition to marriage equality. The 54-year-old's inability -- or unwillingness -- to provide strong opinions on controversial issues left the LGBT lukewarm. While Bayh supported the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in the past, he has repeatedly refused to sign as a co-sponsor of the current legislation. The senator's position as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee poised Bayh to influence a repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" (DADT), the military's ban on gays and lesbians serving openly. He has remained mum on the subject.

"Senator Bayh does not support same-sex marriage," a 2006 statement read. The statement was released following the only blogger's meeting Bayh ever held, during which his opinions of LGBT rights were questioned. "He thinks marriage should be between one man and one woman."

At the height of a rich political career -- highlights of which include Governor of Indiana and Indiana Secretary of Stat -- Bayh was second in consideration for the position now held by Vice President Joe Biden. According to a book by the manager of President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign, it was a coin toss between Bayh and Biden.

Obama praised Bayh in a Feb. 16 statement. "He has fought tirelessly for Indiana's working families, reaching across the aisle on issues ranging from job creation and economic growth to fiscal responsibility and national security."

As to the reasoning behind Bayh's departure, pundits suspect that the impetus is a combination between Bayh's growing realization that he has hit the apex of his political career, and the growing disdain several other powerful Democrats hold for the Indiana senator.

"I have often been a lonely voice for balancing the budget and restraining spending," Bayh said in a public statement. "I am fortunate to have good friends on both sides of the aisle, something that is much too rare in Washington today. ...I love working for the people of Indiana, I love helping our citizens make the most of their lives, but I do not love Congress."

"Ultimately, [Bayh] could have held the Senate seat for as long as he wanted," an unnamed Democratic consultant told the "Washington Post."

"My sense is that he didn't want the job anymore -- it's as simple as that."

Bayh's successor will most likely be chosen by the Indiana Democratic Party (including Bayh himself) since the deadline for submitting a petition signed by 500 residents was Wednesday, Feb. 17.