Senator Evan Bayh (D-Ind), who voted in favor of the federal government taking over the American health care system, will be challenged by former Senator Dan Coats (R-Ind).

INDIANAPOLIS – Informed and reliable sources are telling Howey Politics Indiana that former U.S. Sen. Dan Coats will announce Wednesday he will challenge U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh.

The source, former aide Curt Smith of the Indiana Family Institute, said that Coats knows he has about two weeks to gather the 4,500 signatures – 500 per Congressional district – in two weeks.

Coats is a veteran of the United States Army, was previously considered for the post of Secretary of Defense in the last administration, and previously served as United States Ambassador to Germany.

He served in the US House of Representatives from 1981 to 1989, representing the 4th Congressional district of Indiana. He was United States Senator from Indiana from 1989 to 1999, when he voluntarily retired.

Coats holds a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University and B.A. from Wheaton College.