Tea Party group endorses Stutzman for Indiana senate

by Ben Kamisar - 04/26/16 1:44 PM ET

Another major Tea Party group has backed Rep. Marlin Stutzman’s (R-Ind.) insurgent bid for Indiana’s Senate seat just one week before the GOP primary.

Tea Party Express on Tuesday announced their endorsement, calling Stutzman the best choice for the grassroots. Stutzman is facing fellow Republican Rep. Todd Young in the primary.

{mosads}”The Indiana Senate race is a clear example where the politicians and lobbyists in Washington have picked one candidate while the grassroots of Indiana have picked another candidate,” executive director Taylor Budowich said in a statement.

“Marlin has the heart of farmer, the mind of small business owner, and the fight of a true Hoosier. That’s why we are proud to support Marlin Stutzman for the U.S. Senate.”

Other Tea Party groups, including the Club for Growth, FreedomWorks and the Senate Conservatives Fund, have backed Stutzman.

He is a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus who voted against then-House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) before Boehner eventually resigned from his post.

Young has received significant establishment backing from groups like the Chamber of Commerce.

A Monday poll from WTHR/Howey Politics Indiana showed Young with 43 percent support to Stutzman’s 31 percent.

Tags Boehner Indiana John Boehner Todd Young