Pete has a very bright future ahead of him, sad though I am to see him go. He has the levers to get into a cabinet. Indiana, while conservative, is not Texas. Winning statewide is not out of the question for him. There are plenty of liberal groups that will welcome him and enable him to build up his credibility with his weak constituencies.
That the gay candidate was the most boring candidate in the race is a massive marker in the civil rights road.