Indiana's Sen. Evan Bayh Retiring

POLITICS -- February 15, 2010 at 11:21 AM EDT

Indiana's Sen. Evan Bayh Retiring

UPDATED: 4:00 p.m.

Indiana Democratic Senator Evan Bayh announced his retirement Monday, marking another big setback for Democrats trying to hold onto their control of the U.S. Senate.

Bayh will not seek reelection to a third Senate term. He cited political gridlock in the Senate as a major reason for his departure, the Indianapolis Star reported.

"After all these years, my passion for service to my fellow citizens is undiminished, but my desire to do so in Congress has waned," he said in a statement.

Bayh, according to polling analysis by fivethirtyeight.com, had a good chance of winning reelection in a state otherwise dominated by Republicans in statewide offices. The open seat will likely be more difficult to defend for Democrats.

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