KEENE – Returning to the city that hosted him 30 years ago when he campaigned for his father's run for the Presidency, Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) came back to Keene to tout another possible Presidential bid -- his own.

"I owe it to the people of New Hampshire for being here today," said Bayh, standing in state senator-elect Molly Kelly's dining room in front of Democratic supporters.

During Birch Bayh's bid for the Democratic nomination in 1976, the younger Bayh - who went on to become a two-term governor of Indiana - took time off from his sophomore year at Indiana University and lived with former Keene Mayor Pat Russell's family. In that short period of time, Bayh spoke at coffee houses, town halls, and other arenas across the state, during which he said he fell in love with New Hampshire's political process.

Sen. EVAN BAYH (D-Ind.)

"If that"s what it"s about, the way they do it in New Hampshire, that"s a noble thing," he said while praising the state's role as the first primary in the nation.

Despite living in New Hampshire for 25 years, Kelly's Indiana roots helped garner support and a campaign presence from Bayh after Russell introduced the pair.

"This is a road that we're traveling together," said Kelly in a short speech that thanked supporters. "People said it (victory) couldn't be done, but you did it."

"Maybe it's just a Hoosier thing but we like to support our friends," said Bayh of his help on Kelly's campaign.

Fielding questions from concerned citizens on environmental issues, No Child Left Behind Act and fiscal responsibility, Bayh explained why he"s opened up an exploratory committee for a presidential run.

"We can be a great country, but it's not going to happen by accident," said Bayh, who said he looks to solidify weakened foreign relations and recommends whoever wins in 2008 to do the same. "We have interests in common and a planet in common - we're stronger when we have allies." A strong supporter of education reform, Bayh said as governor he helped raise Indiana's ranking of high school graduates that go onto higher education by instituting a measure that gave students that graduated high school a free state university education if they fell into a moderate to low income household, kept a 2.0 grade point average, finished high school, didn"t get arrested for drugs or alcohol and applied to colleges as a high school senior.

"I"m really more of a governor at heart," admitted Bayh, while advocating his mission to bring the Indiana program to every state.

Kelly has been appointed to serve on four committees in the state senate, including education, and brings a similar passion to the subject as Bayh, as well as an importance of family - shown by the presence of children and grandchildren during the political stop.

"I've had a great trip to New Hampshire," said Bayh, while being ushered out to ensure his timeliness for his next stop in Cornish. "I've gotten a very positive feeling in New Hampshire - (but) ultimately it's (a decision to run) going to be a sit down with me and my family."