Former Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh is launching a bid to again represent Indiana in the U.S. Senate.
Bayh announced Wednesday that he would seek to make the political comeback. Two days earlier, former U.S. Rep. Baron Hill cleared the way by withdrawing as the Democratic nominee.
Bayh complained of the partisanship and gridlock when he left the Senate in 2010, but says he "can no longer sit on the sidelines."
Bayh 's return boosts the chances of Democrats to win the seat held by Republican Sen. Dan Coats, who is retiring.
National Democrats pushed for Bayh to enter the race, seeing him as having a better chance to defeat GOP candidate U.S. Rep. Todd Young as Democrats seek to gain the four or five seats they need to win Senate control.