Indiana Senate Candidates Will Debate Twice In October

Wednesday, August 1, 2018 at 7:12 AM

By Mike Perleberg @mikedup84

The trash talking has already begun.

(Left to right) Indiana U.S. Senate candidates Joe Donnelly, Mike Braun, and Lucy Brenton.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Indiana voters could have to wait a few more months to see the candidates for U.S. Senate on the same stage at the same time.

Democrat incumbent Senator Joe Donnelly and his two challengers, Republican Mike Braun and Libertarian Lucy Brenton, have all agreed to two debates in October, the Indiana Debate Commission announced Tuesday.

The first meeting will be October 8 in northwest Indiana. A venue has not yet been decided.

The second debate will be held at the Toby Theater at the Indianapolis Museum of Art on October 30.

“Since our first debate in 2008, we have had debates in venues open to the public every election year,” said commission President Gerry Lanosga. “We’re committed to making sure voter interests are primary and that questions submitted by the public will be asked of the candidates.”

The non-partisan debate commission is welcoming Hoosier voters to submit proposed debate questions.

Both debates will be broadcast on media outlets across the state. A free livestream will also be provided at www.indianadebatecommission.com.

All 450 public tickets for the October 30 debate have been claimed, the debate commission said only three hours after the debate was announced.

The pre-debate trash talking has already started. Braun’s campaign is criticizing Donnelly for refusing to schedule a third debate.

"Sleepin' Joe has only agreed to two debates because he's afraid to tell Hoosiers he's profited from outsourcing jobs to Mexico and is deliberately delaying President Trump's Supreme Court nomination for his Democrat party bosses," said Braun spokesman Josh Kelley. "Mike Braun is ready to expose Democrat Senator Donnelly for saying one thing in Indiana and then voting with liberals in Washington, and I hope he reconsiders a third debate."