Dan Coats

Daniel Ray Coats (born May 16, 1943) served as the Republican United States Senator from Indiana from 1989 through 1999. More recently, he was the United States Ambassador to Germany under the Bush administration from 2001 until 2005.

After serving in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968, Coats received a Bachelor's degree from Wheaton College in 1965 and a Juris Doctor from Indiana University School of Law in 1971.

Coats was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980 and was reelected until his appointment to serve the Senate seat left vacant by Vice President Dan Quayle. He was reelected in a 1990 special election and was elected to a full six-year term in 1992. Coats was a member of several high-profile committees, including the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Coats is currently a senior counsel in King & Spalding's Public Policy and Government Advocacy Practice Group. He is expected to challenge Indiana Democratic Senator Evan Bayh in the 2010 election.