Former Indiana Republican Party chairman Eric Holcomb is dropping out of the race for the U.S. Senate.

The three Republican candidates for Indiana's open U.S. Senate seat met here for their first debate Saturday.

Fourth District Republican Chairman Craig Dunn announced Monday that candidates Eric Holcomb, Marlin Stutsman and Todd Young have confirmed they'll participate in the Jan. 16 debate at a Kokomo restaurant.

The latest USDA report shows a quarter of the state's crops are in poor or very poor condition, largely because of the heavy rainfall over the last two months.

The fight to earn the Republican nomination for Senate in Indiana is now a three-way race between former State GOP chair Eric Holcomb, 3rd District Congressman Marlin Stutzman and 9th District Congressman Todd Young.