As Bush's first budget chief, Mitch Daniel was the architect of our nation's huge deficits and ballooning debt. Somehow, he was able to parlay that into a successful Indiana gubernatorial bid in the strong GOP year 2004.
However, in 2006 Indiana showed signs of purpling by tossing three Republicans from its House delegation. Then a day or two ago, the Indianapolis Star released a poll showing that a generic Democratic presidential ticket was edging out a Republican one 37-32 in this deep Red state. If you threw Bayh in as vice-president (which I hope we wouldn't), the numbers became 47-33 in favor of the Democratic ticket.
Now, we see that Daniels himself isn't looking so hot.
Selzer & Co for the Indianapolis Star/WTHR. 11/13-16. All adults. MoE 4% (No trend lines)
Daniels (R) 43
Thompson (D) 44
Daniels (R) 40
Schellinger (D) 44
The man who made a mess out of our nation's finances is making such a mess out of Indiana's that its deeply Republican votes are angling for big change. Fitting.