Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-8th District) made his first formal campaign stop at an Indianapolis factory today.  He toured Thomas and Skinner, a defense contractor, and gave brief remarks to the workers there.

Meantime, state Democratic Chairman Dan Parker says that an announcement will be made soon regarding the State Committee meeting where Ellsworth can expected to be chosen as the party nominee for Evan Bayh’s U.S. Senate seat.  It won’t take place until at least May 15th. Parker says nothing will prohibit Ellsworth from running TV ads during the primary season.  Ellsworth says he hasn’t talked about that yet.

He is still putting together a campaign organization and has no campaign office space yet.  At least 2 members of Ellsworth’s congressional staff have moved over to work on the campaign.  No campaign manager has been chosen yet.

Rep. Baron Hill (D-9th District) is calling friends this morning to inform them that he has decided against a run for U.S. Senate.

Hill considered a challenge to Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-8th District)  for the Democratic nomination to be decided by the state Democratic committee after the May primary.  Two lesser candidates are still in the race. 

Ellsworth and the others hold the first of a series of district meetings in Noblesville this afternoon.

(Update:  Hill has now issued a statement endorsing Ellsworth.)

When Dan Coats filed his petitions to be on the ballot for U.S. Senate I asked him how he would deal with being labeled the “Washington Candidate” in this race.   He responded by saying only, “We’re back in Indiana and we’re here to stay.” 

Today I received my first “Coats for Senate Morning Update.”  It discusses an interview the former Senator did with a Washington publication (Human Events.)  It attacked Democrat Brad Ellsworth by quoting two Washington blogs.

It was sent to me by a public relations person in Washington, DC.

Maybe he likes the label.

Congressman Brad Ellsworth has made a required step to run for U.S. Senate. 

He filed the necessary paperwork with the Secretary of State this morning to have his name taken off the May Democratic primary ballot.

It clears the way for party favorite Trent Van Haaften to replace Ellsworth, at least on the November ballot.

State Representative Trent Van Haaften (D-Mt. Vernon)  just gave the strongest indication so far that Congressman Brad Ellsworth will run for the Senate.

Van Haaften filed for Ellsworth’s seat in the 8th District, saying that he won’t run against his friend.

Van Haaften says Ellsworth will have to speak for himself.

The day ends with no public decision from Brad Ellsworth but every indication that he will run for U.S. Senate.

Democratic Party sources in Washington confirm that Brad Ellsworth will run for the U.S. Senate.

A spokeswoman for Rep. Brad Ellsworth says  he has not decided to run for the Senate, contrary to a  newspaper report from Evansville.

Liz Farrar says he is still considering a run and will have a decision in “the next few days.”

The newspaper report sounds like a premature fact.

The Indiana delegation split along party lines in the Health Care vote with Democrats voting yes and Republicans voting no.  No big surprise there but the consequences will vary. 

Democrat Brad Ellsworth, for example, got his name attached to an amendment barring the use of taxpayer funds for abortion.  Pro-life forces like it and that means the vote likely won’t hurt Ellsworth, who appeared jubilant on C-Span last night.

Democrat Baron Hill, meantime, issued new releases all the way up to yesterday afternoon sending the message that he was undecided.  His vote will be a campaign issue next year and opponents will tie it to his early support of President Obama in 2008.

Republicans are all banking that the current public mood is on their side.

Barack Obama will be back in Indianapolis next month.

There is word that the President will attend a fundraiser for four Democratic members of Congress from Indiana, Brad Ellsworth, Baron Hill, Joe Donnelly, and Andre Carson on May 17th.  It’s a coup for Baron Hill who extended the invitation.

Carson appeared with Obama last year and in 2006 the then-Illinois Senator campaigned here for the other three.