3 Indiana GOP candidates debate for Senate nomination

KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) - Three Republicans running for Indiana's open U.S. Senate seat highlighted their conservative credentials and touted past accomplishments during a debate.

Former state GOP Chairman Eric Holcomb and U.S. Reps. Marlin Stutzman and Todd Young appeared at the event Saturday hosted by the Howard County Republican Party in Kokomo.

The trio agreed on many issues including reducing the national debt, increasing military spending and border security and that deregulation and tax cuts would help the nation's economy.

One of the three will face the likely Democratic nominee, U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, in November. The winner of the general election will replace retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Coats.

Hill's name came up more than once during the debate, with Stutzman saying at one point that he didn't want to give Hill "too much name ID and recognition."

Holcomb brought up his role as an aide to former Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels and the accomplishments of that administration.

"I was inside the room in virtually every one of those discussions, putting together the team and the plan to get it done," he said.

Stutzman talked about presenting a federal budget proposal last year from House conservatives and said he doesn't want to cater to special interests.

"To fix the problems we need conservative leadership," he said. "We need to entitle the people, state and local government to resolve issues and stand on our principles."

Young touted legislation he introduced that won approval in the House that would require congressional approval for federal regulations with a yearly economic impact of at least $100 million.

"I actually come up with conservative solutions, persuade my colleagues of their merits, and I'm able to move them forward," he said. "That's the job of the United States Senate."

After the debate, Indiana Democratic Party spokesman Drew Anderson issued a statement saying "flip-flopper Todd Young is doing everything he can to out-conservative the front-runner in the Republican primary, Marlin Stutzman." The statement didn't mention Holcomb.