The Latest: Indiana GOP Senate hopefuls keep up attacks
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on the Indiana Republican U.S. Senate debate (all times local):
8:05 p.m.
Indiana's three Republican U.S. Senate candidates kept up their TV advertising attack lines against each other during their final televised debate before next week's primary.
Mike Braun, Luke Messer and Todd Rokita largely focused their remarks during Monday evening's debate on casting doubt about the support of the other candidates for President Donald Trump.
Messer and Rokita are both sitting congressmen who attacked Braun on matters such as his history of voting in Democratic primaries and supporting a gasoline tax increase while he was state legislator. Braun is a wealthy businessman who criticized Messer and Rokita for being longtime office holders who wouldn't "drain the swamp."
Whoever wins the May 8 primary will carry the GOP's hopes of defeating Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in the fall election toward helping Republicans keep their narrow Senate majority.
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7:20 p.m.
Indiana's three Republican U.S. Senate candidates came out attacking each other to start their final televised debate before next week's primary.
Early remarks from Mike Braun, Luke Messer and Todd Rokita in Monday evening's debate sounded similar themes casting doubt on each other's support of President Donald Trump.
Messer and Rokita are both sitting congressmen who attacked Braun on matters such as his history of voting in Democratic primaries and supporting a gasoline tax increase while a state legislator. Braun is a wealthy businessman who criticized Messer and Rokita for being longtime office holders who wouldn't "drain the swamp."
Whoever wins the May 8 primary will carry the GOP's hopes of defeating Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in the fall election toward helping Republicans keep their narrow Senate majority.
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5 p.m.
The three Republican candidates who are locked in tight contest for a chance to challenge Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in the fall election are set to take part Monday evening in their final televised debate before the May 8 primary.
The debate comes as U.S. Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita and former state Rep. Mike Braun have continued turning up the heat in TV attack ads against each other blanketing the state. They've tried to appeal to supporters of President Donald Trump, adopting the president's harsh immigration rhetoric and even channeling him by assigning one another derisive nicknames.
The hour-long debate starting at 7 p.m. is sponsored by the nonprofit Indiana Debate Commission and will be broadcast on several TV and radio stations around the state.