Young Lashes Out At Democrats Over Ballot Access Challenge

A complaint filed by the Indiana Democratic Party to keep U.S. Rep. Todd Young off the May Republican primary ballot for U.S. Senate has drawn a strong reaction from Rep. Young. He sent out an e-mail missive to financial supporters accusing the Democrats of "playing dirty politics" and described their challenge as an "attempt to disenfranchise Hoosier voters." Young continued:

Rather than actually defending their out-of-touch liberal ideas, the liberals are trying to disenfranchise the Hoosier voters that put me on the ballot. They know that I'll beat Baron Hill -- just like I did in 2010. Rest assured, we will win this fight and remain on the ballot. Evidently, election-year silly season has begun. While politicians play games, Marines fight--and the Indiana Democrat Party just picked a fight with the wrong Marine.

The e-mail goes on to solicit campaign contributions for the "fight for conservative values." Indiana Democrats maintain that the petitions Young's Senate campaign filed for Indiana's First District contained only 498 of the minimum 500 valid signatures of registered voters each candidate is required to submit for each of the state's nine congressional districts in order to appear on the Indiana ballot. Young's campaign insists his campaign submitted 501 valid signatures for the First District, providing a razor-thin margin to make the May primary ballot. The issue will be decided by the Indiana Election Commission, which is comprised of two Democrats and two Republicans. In the event of a tie, Secretary of State Connie Lawson, a Republican, would cast the deciding vote.