 In 2010, he was a Republican candidate for the open U.S. Senate seat in the state of Indiana held by retiring Senator Evan Bayh.On December 3, 2009, Hostettler announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, but lost the primary to former Senator Dan Coats.Hostettler (pronounced HOH-stet-luhr) was born in Evansville, as the eighth of ten children.