Indiana U.S. Senate Candidates Wrangle In Third Debate

A panel of journalists peppered them with questions on topics ranging from the Second Amendment to immigration to Russia.

Indiana U.S. Senate Republican candidates (left to right) Todd Rokita, Luke Messer, and Mike Braun.

(Fort Wayne, Ind.) - They each claim they are the winners. Indiana’s three Republican U.S. Senate candidates met for their third debate last night in Fort Wayne.

Mike Braun, Luke Messer and Todd Rokita are running against each other in the May 8 primary election for the opportunity to face incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly in the November general election.

A panel of journalists peppered them with questions on topics ranging from the Second Amendment to immigration to Russia.

“The only thing that will stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” 4th District Congressman Rokita said.

Sixth District Congressman Messer said he has worked with President Donald Trump on a school safety bill. Businessman Mike Braun said authorities must do more to identify people with mental health issues before it becomes a problem.

Braun and Messer each said they consider Russia a foe, but said the U.S. should maintain a dialogue with the country. Rokita said Russia did not medal in the 2016 election, then called for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and former FBI director James Comey to be locked up.

Messer focused on his record of supporting the Trump-Pence agenda. He poked at Rokita’s recent admonishing by the Trump campaign over Rokita’s yard signs.

“He’s faking support from the Trump campaign. He’s got the support of a couple Trump campaign volunteers. That’s the reality of it. He doesn’t vote with the president on the tough votes,” Messer punched.

“That’s false. That’s a lie,” Rokita countered.

Messer also countered his opponents’ contentions that he is not an Indiana resident.

“I am who I say I am. We’re going to take the truth to Joe Donnelly and when we do, we’ll win,” Messer said.

Braun, who bills himself as the outsider candidate, continued to hammer Messer and Rokita for being career politicians who have voted for billions in debt.

“These two guys vote alike 95 percent of the time and they’ve been part of the problem. It’s not a complicated solution here. You’re going to need to get folks who have done something in the real world who know how to solve problems, or else it is going to be business as usual in D.C.” Braun said.

The Republican Indiana U.S. Senate candidates will meet for one more debate next Monday, April 30 ahead of the Tuesday, May 8 election.