GOP stunned Senate hopeful may be short of ballot signatures

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Two of Indiana's top GOP lawmakers said Thursday that they were surprised to learn Congressman Todd Young may have failed to meet a state ballot requirement in his U.S. Senate campaign, with the Republican leader of the state Senate saying it may be "one of the most colossal mistakes I've ever seen."

"I suspect that Congressman Young thought he had all the signatures wrapped up weeks ago," said Senate President Pro Tem David Long, who endorsed U.S. Rep Marlin Stutzman's rival GOP campaign. "All I can say is I'm amazed that he's in that situation."

Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma said that it is the job of political candidates to "be sure you beat the hurdle."

"I don't know that one particular candidate should get an exemption," he added.

If Young is not allowed on the ballot, Stutzman would be the only GOP candidate left in the field - a possibility that has many Democrats gleeful. They have made little secret of their desire to face Stutzman, who they view as an archconservative with an outspoken nature that could turn off general election voters, much like former GOP Senate candidate Richard Mourdock. Democrats defeated Mourdock in the 2012 U.S. Senate race after he made incendiary comments about abortion and rape.

Young's campaign dismissed Democrats' challenge as a "political stunt" intended to "disenfranchise Hoosier voters." But Long and Bosma did not join their fellow Republican in attacking Democrats for publicizing the issue.

"If it's true it's one of the most colossal mistakes I've ever seen," said Long, who said he has yet to get official details on Young's ballot woes from the Secretary of State's office.

State law requires Senate candidates to submit signatures of 500 registered voters from each of Indiana's nine congressional districts to qualify for the May primary ballot. The state Election Division reported Young squeaked by with 501 signatures in northwestern Indiana's 1st Congressional District.

But Democrats say they calculated that Young is three signatures shy. And on Wednesday they filed a formal complaint, challenging Young's placement on the May primary ballot. A tally by The Associated Press also found Young was three signatures short on his petitions from the 1st Congressional District.

While Young's campaign has attacked Democrats over the issue, they have not responded to criticisms from Stutzman, who in a recent statement accused Young of being "more focused on garnering establishment support in (Washington) D.C. and raising money from corporate interests than in meeting with Hoosiers and engaging in a meaningful grassroots effort here in Indiana."

Young's fate will be decided by the state's bipartisan, four-member Election Commission, which will hold a hearing on the challenge on Feb. 19. Young will remain on the ballot unless three members vote to remove him, election officials say. Any decision could be challenged in court.

His campaign says they are confident they have enough signatures to qualify. And they argue Democrats only attacked Young "because they know they can't beat him in November."

Young previously defeated former U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, the presumed Democratic nominee, taking away his congressional seat in 2010.

"We're confident that we have more than enough signatures in the 1st Congressional District and that Todd Young will be on the ballot in May," campaign manager Trevor Foughty said.

Both Young and Stutzman hope to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dan Coats. A third Republican, Eric Holcomb, dropped out of the race Monday after being tapped to become Gov. Mike Pence's re-election running mate.