Candidates For U.S. Senate Meet In One And Only Debate

INDIANAPOLIS -- The three candidates for Indiana’s open U.S. Senate seat met Tuesday in a debate marked by pointed attacks.

For Republican Todd Young and Democrat Evan Bayh, the debate was as much about their opponent as it was themselves. Young repeatedly attacked Bayh for his support of Obamacare, which Young calls a “millstone” around the economy.

“What’d you do, Evan, after that? You took the money and ran,” Young said. “Evan Bayh took the money and ran. He joined a major lobbying firm in Washington, D.C. and he represented clients that needed relief from the very problem he created.”

Watch the complete debate

In a section about climate change, Bayh sought to parry Young’s attacks about his record.

“Desperate people do desperate things and clearly Congressman Young is getting pretty desperate,” Bayh said. “It’s not true that I was cap-and-trade; I’m against cap-and-trade. It’s not true that I’ve ever been a lobbyist.”

Libertarian Lucy Brenton sought to distance herself from the other two candidates, seeking to paint them as two sides of the same problematic coin.

“You know, I feel like I need to step away from them a little bit. They’re slinging so much mud and I’m wearing a white suit,” Brenton said.

Tuesday’s meeting is the only Senate debate before November’s election.