Indiana's Young to head Senate Republican campaign wing

WASHINGTON (AP) - Indiana Sen. Todd Young has been picked to lead the National Republican Senate Committee during the 2020 election cycle.

Young was elected as committee chairman by his fellow Republicans on Wednesday. He had the support of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and outgoing committee chairman Cory Gardner of Colorado.

Republicans expanded their slim 51-49 Senate majority during the recent midterm elections, defeating several Democrats running for re-election in states President Donald Trump won in 2016. That included Indiana Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly.

But 2020 will be a very different year, with limited pickup opportunities and an electoral map where they will largely be playing defense.

That includes swing states like North Carolina and Colorado, as well as Republican-leaning states that are in transition, such as Georgia and Arizona.