Sen. Evan Bayh's (D-Ind.) surprise retirement announcement sets up the possibility that the more restrictionist candidate in the general election to replace him may be the Democrat. . .

The Republican darling of the GOP establishment and the media is former Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.). And he is thought to have a strong edge to beat whomever the Democratic candidate is.

But the career immigration record of Republican Coats is a "D" -- compared to a "C" for Democrat Bayh.

That compares badly with the three Indiana Democratic Congressmen who might win the Democratic slot. Here they are (with career immigration grade):

• Rep. Brad Ellsworth (A)
• Rep. Joe Donnelly (A)
• Rep. Barron Hill (C-)

Rep. Hill is an especially interesting case.

He earned an "F" each of his first terms in Congress and finally worked up to a C- his third term. He lost his seat in the 2004 election but won it back 2006. It was like he decided to become more of an Indiana Democrat and less of a Nancy Pelosi, San Francisco Democrat during his time out of office. His first term back (2007-08) he earned a B- immigration-reduction grade and is working on an A- grade during this term.

Has former Sen. Coats had a similar education during his time out of office? Is it possible that his open-borders positions of the 1990s are just a bad habit of the past that he has kicked?

I have no idea at this point. But I certainly hope that his record in the 1990s was a case of being sucked into the worst of the Chamber of Commerce dictatorial control over the Republican Party but not truly representing who he is as a public servant.

COATS' 1990s RECORD

• Coats was good on border control (A-) and stopping rewards for illegal aliens (A+).
• But he was a C- on keeping illegal aliens out of American jobs (compared to Bayh's B).
• And he was an F- on protecting U.S. workers from losing their jobs and wages to legal foreign worker importation (compared to Bayh's C).
• Although Bayh has earned an F on amnesty, Coats was worse with an F-.
• And Coats earned an F- on Chain Migration and another F- on the Visa Lottery.

The fact is that Republican Coats was a part of Michigan Republican Sen. Spencer Abraham's Chamber of Commerce hit squad that killed the 1996 Simpson/Smith Republican immigration provisions that would have eliminated chain migration and the lottery and dramatically reduced the number of foreign workers that business could import to displace U.S. workers. These, by the way, were the provisions recommended by Democrat Barbara Jordan and her bi-partisan national commission.

That is a lot of terrible baggage for Coats to carry in a time of 10% national unemployment.

Politicians can redeem themselves and have second acts. But Indiana voters have reason to insist on pinning Coats down precisely about where he stands on all these issues.

For now, the Democratic Representatives who may compete with him are several laps ahead of him in the race for the jobs vote.

Perhaps the one thing that can be said is that Coats wasn't as bad as the other Republican Senator from Indiana.

Sen. Richard Lugar has earned an F for his career of votes to supply as much foreign labor as corporate donors request. He has led the effort for the DREAM Act amnesty for years and always voted in lock-step with Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.) to legalize the illegal aliens working for unscrupulous businesses.

WHAT OF THE OTHER REPUBLICANS?

The Chamber of Commerce GOP establishment had been interested in Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), although he has continued to decline to commit to a race.

Republican Pence has earned a B on immigration, below his three Indiana Democratic colleagues I have mentioned. A couple of years ago he lost his standing as the darling of the nation's younger conservatives when he advanced an amnesty plan.

Of course, all of you in the know, are aware that I have conveniently waited to mention one Republican until the very end.

FORMER REP. JOHN HOSTETTLER WAS THE CHAMPION OF U.S. WORKERS OVER IMPORTED LABOR

Before Bayh dropped out, former Rep. John Hostettler (R-Ind.) had already been challenging him. He was the chairman of the House Immigration Subcommittee before being defeated by the also-anti-amnesty Ellsworth in 2006 (when voters disgusted with Pres. Bush and his war and his profligate spending ended up throwing out Hostettler who had voted against Bush on all those things, plus immigration).

As a combination of good votes, good sponsorships and good committee leadership, NOBODY stood up more for the American worker, for disproportionately impoverished Black and Hispanic workers, or for the beleaguered taxpayers on immigration issues than John Hostettler.

His career grades:

• A+....Reduce Chain Migration
• A+....Stop Amnesty
• A+....Reduce Lottery
• A .....Reduce Unnecessary Foreign Workers
• A-....Workplace/Interior Enforcement
• A+....Borders
• A+....Reduce Rewards for Illegal Aliens

At the moment, nobody comes close to having the promise of hope for Indiana workers who are unemployed or stuck with stagnant wages.

Perhaps with Hostettler in the race, all the other candidates will find themselves trying to convince voters that on immigration they are really just like John.

We'll offer every candidate the chance to take our survey and let them promise -- on immigration -- to be just like John.

ROY BECK is Founder & CEO of NumbersUSA