BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — A Bloomington restaurant owner says she is organizing a campaign to challenge U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh for the Democratic nomination next year.

Tamyra d'Ippolito says she wants to be a proponent for the poor and that she wasn't pleased with Bayh's stance on health care reform. She says she's a colon cancer survivor and has been without health and dental insurance since opening Ragazzi Arte Cafe five years ago.

The 50-year-old d'Ippolito was campaign chairwoman for Gretchen Clearwater, who unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Baron Hill in last year's Democratic primary.

She says she's organizing volunteers to collect the 4,500 petition signatures she needs to have her name included on the May primary ballot.