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Brenton Relishes Role Of Spoiler In US Senate Race

By Brandon Smith, IPB News | Published on in Government, Politics, Statewide News
Libertarian candidate Lucy Brenton relishes the chance to play the spoiler in Indiana’s crucial U.S. Senate race. (Courtesy of Indiana Debate Commission, Darron Cummings/AP)
Libertarian candidate Lucy Brenton relishes the chance to play the spoiler in Indiana’s crucial U.S. Senate race. (Courtesy of Indiana Debate Commission, Darron Cummings/AP)

Libertarian candidate Lucy Brenton relishes the chance to play the spoiler in Indiana’s crucial U.S. Senate race.

Brenton sees it as an opportunity to advance the Libertarian Party’s ideals.

She ran for Senate in 2016 and got about 5.5 percent of the vote. If she repeats or improves on that performance this year, it could tip the scales between incumbent U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Republican Mike Braun. Brenton is happy to play that role.

“Do I intend to spoil the election for them? Absolutely, and here’s why: something doesn’t spoil unless it’s rotten,” Brenton says.

Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics Director Andrew Downs says with her anti-tax, pro-marijuana platform, Brenton could draw votes away from both candidates.

“In which case, we’re where we were when we started in terms of a very close race that is influenced by that third party but perhaps not the deciding factor,” Downs says.

Election Day is Tuesday Nov. 6.