Young, Stutzman Try To Define Themselves In Lone GOP Senate Debate

INDIANAPOLIS -- Republican U.S. Senate candidates Marlin Stutzman and Todd Young met Monday for their first and only televised debate before the May 3 primary.

The two sought to define themselves for GOP voters, and most of the sparring was over terms like “establishment candidate” and “career politician.”

The two are similar in many ways. They argue for lower taxes and reduced regulation. They tout support from anti-abortion groups and the NRA. But Stutzman says Young is the “establishment” candidate who won’t help reform what Stutzman calls a broken system.

“And we’ve seen that the establishment has decided – Mitch McConnell has decided to jump into the race here in Indiana to pick…his pick has been Congressman Young,” Stutzman said.

Young says Stutzman, who first ran for office in 2002, is the real career politician.

“You are the one who said you are against farm subsidies but pocketed a million dollars in farm subsidies. You’re the one, Marlin, who criticized a candidate who was running against you for living outside of Washington, D.C. First thing you did when you were sworn in is bought an $800,000 mansion and moved your family to Washington, D.C.,” Young said.

Stutzman said he’s always opposed farm subsidies and moved his family to D.C. to be closer to them while he serves in Congress.

The two candidates seek to replace retiring Republican Sena. Dan Coats.