Donnelly and Bayh will tour the state in the next few days in what they’re calling a “main street tour” of Indiana. Bayh thinks appearing with Donnelly is not about trying to rally the Democratic base around a conservative Democrat saying, "Oh I think the Democratic base is squarely in Joe Donnelly’s camp and we need to build on that and reach out to independents and Republicans because not only is that the politically sensible thing to do, it’s the only way we’re going to make progress in Washington.”
Donnelly adds,“For me to try to make sure to keep people like Senator Bayh in mind, Senator Lugar in mind where you look and you go, ‘This is who we are as Hoosiers,’ it can’t help but be beneficial." Donnelly also says he hopes by aligning himself with the model of legislators like Bayh and outgoing Republican Senator Dick Lugar he'll be able to better connect with voters.
But national Republicans backing Donnelly’s opponent, Richard Mourdock, say Bayh and Donnelly share a record of supporting President Obama and his policies - a record they say Hoosier voters will reject.