Nineteen-year veteran financial advisor Don Bates Jr. failed in his attempt Saturday to gain the Indiana Republican nomination for state treasurer.

He ran third in a three-person contest. The winner was a state treasurer aide, Kelly Mitchell, who was endorsed by the outgoing incumbent Richard Mourdock over the Tea Party candidate Bates.

This was his third attempt in four years to win the GOP nomination in Indiana for a federal or state-wide race. This year has proven to be challenging for Bates on a number of fronts, Financial Advisor reported last week.

Bates ended his years-long work as an advisor for the Richmond-Indiana branch of Wells Fargo in January to set up his own firm with a former co-worker. He had been on leave from the new business, Wesley Bates WMS during the campaign.