INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -
Indiana Republican Senate candidates Marlin Stutzman and Todd Young, who
have both run as stalwart conservatives, tried to distinguish themselves
from each other on foreign and domestic policy during a debate Monday that
largely mimicked the outsider versus establishment dispute engulfing the GOP
presidential primary.
The tea-party
backed Stutzman, who has frequently been at odds with Republican House
leadership, sought to portray Young as someone who votes in lock-step with
establishment priorities while receiving financial backing from allies of
GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Young sought to portray Stutzman
as a career politician, first elected to office in his 20s, who has
masqueraded as a political outsider at the expense of pragmatism and
compromise.
Stutzman, who
co-owns his family’s farm operations in northern Indiana, and Young, an
attorney from Bloomington, are seeking to replace retiring Republican U.S.
Sen. Dan Coats. Former U.S. Rep. Baron Hill is unopposed for the Democratic
nomination.
It was the only
debate between the two candidates, both of whom were elected to Congress in
2010. The primary is May 3. The debate started off focusing on foreign
policy and free trade agreements but eventually gave way to personal
attacks, with the two arguing over whose brand of conservatism would serve
the state best.
“First thing you
did was buy an $800,000 mansion and move to Washington D.C.,” Young told
Stutzman.
Stutzman countered
that Young has held various federal government jobs and “already been
tasting the Potomac fever in Washington a lot longer than I have.”
During the debate,
Young repeatedly cited his experience as a former Marine intelligence
officer and frequently mentioned that he previously defeated Hill. Stutzman
emphasized his experience as a farmer and a businessman and said Young has
not been a consistent conservative. Both criticized President Barack Obama.
Stutzman and Young
responded to questions on domestic issues such as health care policy and
abortion, as well as foreign policy issues including trade, Syria and the
fight against the Islamic State group.
Stutzman said he
supported building a wall along the southern border with Mexico as GOP
presidential candidate Donald Trump has proposed. He cited drug trafficking
and national security as reasons that “we need to build a wall, we need to
put up a fence.”
Young did not
directly answer the question when asked if he would support building a wall.
Both men claim to
be the true conservative in a primary race that has grown combative even
though both have similar positions on many issues.
Both Republicans
are spending heavily on television advertising around the state - and so are
outside groups backing their candidates.
The U.S. Chamber of
Commerce has been spending $1 million for television ads supporting Young.
The conservative group Club for Growth is supporting Stutzman, who is a
member of the Freedom Caucus of conservative Republican House members whose
aversion to compromise led to former House Speaker John Boehner resigning
last year.
Democrats hope
Stutzman emerges from the primary to take on Hill. They view Stutzman as
extremely conservative with an outspoken nature that could turn off general
election voters much like GOP Senate candidate Richard Mourdock, who drew
criticism for comments about abortion and rape and lost the 2012 Senate race
to Democrat Joe Donnelly.