Indiana Debate Commission moves forward with U.S. Senate debate. Banks won’t take part

By Brandon Smith, IPB News | Published on in Government, Politics
Headshots of Andrew Horning, Jim Banks and Valerie McCray. Horning is a White man with dark, graying hair and a gray beard. He is wearing glasses and a suit and tie. Banks is a White man with dark, graying hair. He is wearing a suit and tie. McCray is a Black woman with black hair. She is wearing a blue top.
The candidates for Indiana's 2024 U.S. Senate race are, from left to right, Libertarian Andrew Horning, Republican Jim Banks and Democrat Valerie McCray. (Courtesy of Horning Facebook page, Banks Facebook page and McCray campaign)

The nonpartisan Indiana Debate Commission announced Friday it will host a debate for Indiana’s U.S. Senate race later this month — even as one of the candidates won’t participate.

Only Democrat Valerie McCray and Libertarian Andrew Horning will take part in the debate on Oct. 29. Republican Jim Banks declined the commission’s invitation.

The Senate race is an open one, as incumbent Republican Mike Braun opted to run for governor this fall.

The commission is inviting people to submit questions for the debate on its website, IndianaDebateCommission.com. Those questions, which will be vetted by the commission, can be submitted by Oct. 17.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

NOW PLAYING

Indiana Public Radio

Live on 92.1 FM Muncie | 90.9 FM Marion | 91.1 FM Hagerstown / New Castle

From IPR