Evan Bayh's lead in Indiana dwindles to zero in Senate race

Indiana Democratic Senate candidate Evan Bayh was looking at a healthy six-point lead over Republican Rep. Todd Young in Monmouth University's poll in early October. But as November looms, a race that once seemed like a lock for the Democrats now appears to be a dead heat.

The latest Monmouth poll, conducted Thursday through Sunday, found that 45 percent of likely voters backed Bayh, the former senator, while another 45 percent backed Young. Monmouth expects that Young got his boost from "the top of the ticket, where Donald Trump now holds an 11-point lead [in the state] over Hillary Clinton for president." Indiana's governor, Mike Pence, is Trump's running mate.

Bayh left the Senate in 2011, only to seek election once again this year following Republican Sen. Dan Coats' retirement. Bayh has been repeatedly slammed by critics for spending little time in the state.

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The poll reached 402 Indiana likely voters, and has a margin of error of 4.9 percent. RealClearPolitics' average in Indiana between Oct. 3 and 24 shows Bayh with 45 percent support, to Young's 41 percent.