Indianapolis Star endorses Young over Bayh in Senate race

Indiana’s biggest newspaper on Friday threw its support behind Republican Todd Young in the race for the state’s open Senate seat.

{mosads} The Indianapolis Star lauded Young’s experience in Congress and policy track record, and slammed Democrat Evan Bayh for leaving the Senate in 2010 to work for a lobbying firm.

“For the past six years, Young has served Indiana’s 9th congressional district capably in the U.S. House. He’s consistently supported free trade agreements, crucial to Indiana’s manufacturing and agricultural sectors. And as a member of the House Budget Committee, he helped write a federal budget designed to reduce deficit spending by $6 trillion over the next decade,” the editorial board wrote.

The Star criticized Bayh’s decision to unexpectedly enter the race in July after leaving the Senate in 2010.

“As for Bayh, the former governor and two-term senator made clear when he left office in 2010 his deep frustration with the partisan gridlock and dysfunction that plagued Congress then and now,” the editorial board wrote.

“Yet, Bayh chose to remain in Washington, D.C., to take a job with a legal and lobbying firm. Bayh has insisted during this campaign that he has never worked as a lobbyist. But clearly the former senator was hired to work as a highly compensated adviser to companies doing business with government largely because of his experience on Capitol Hill.”

The editorial board questioned Bayh’s intentions, arguing that the former Senator is driven by party politics and not the interests of the state.

“And now Bayh, having made millions of dollars because of his insider connections, has decided to seek a return to the Senate. His leap into the race less than six months ago was driven chiefly by his party’s opportunity to regain control of the chamber.”

The Star concluded by expressing disappointment with the negative campaign run by both candidates — noting that Young’s TV ads undermined congressman’s image.

The endorsement from the publication — which did not endorse in the last two presidential races — comes in the wake of new controversy over Bayh’s last year in office.

A leaked copy of the former Senator’s schedule on Friday revealed that Bayh did not stay overnight in his private Indiana condo any time in 2010, contrary to his assertion.

It was also revealed earlier in the campaign that Bayh may have violated Senate ethics rules by job-hunting while still in the Senate.