Congressional races back on

Two republican challengers for Indiana’s 9th Congressional District, Mike Sodrel and Todd Young, debated for the first time this campaign season Monday at an IU College Republicans meeting.

College Republicans Press Secretary Tara Fleming said hosting guests such as Sodrel and Young will encourage new members to attend meetings and build a support base before November’s mid-term elections.

“We need to get our name out there,” Fleming said. “Our main goal is to get back the House and Senate.”

IU College Republicans is the largest young Republican organization in the 9th Congressional District, according to the group’s Web site.

Richard Behney, who is challenging longtime Indiana Senator Evan Bayh for his
senate seat and is responsible for bringing the Tea Parties to Indiana, said he was excited to see faces of young Republicans who believed in “true American values.”

Behney asked a crowd of 100 students and Bloomington residents if they were slaves or if they were free.

Behney said people don’t vote for Republicans or Democrats, they vote for “real values.”

“People in Massachusetts voted for liberty and freedom,” Behney said.

College Republicans president Justin Kingsolver said the 2010 elections will be the start of “the next Republican revolution.”

Kingsolver said the group’s main goal for the year will be to gather support for Republican candidates.

“If we can win in Massachusetts, we can take Barney Frank’s seat there too,” Kingsolver said.

Young and Sodrel also addressed the group, as did the other state Senate candidate Don Bates, Jr.

Bates Jr. will be running against Behney in a spring primary to face off against Bayh.

Young, an attorney, has never held political office. He said he was running because he wanted to see a “true American” in Congress.

Young criticized Congressman Baron Hill, the Democrat who has beaten Sodrel in two consecutive elections, for declining to answer a question at a town hall meeting before the 2008 elections.

“I can assure you, when I am in D.C., I will not forget I represent people like you,” Young said as the room exploded with cheers.

Young ended the night by challenging Sodrel to weekly debates until the primary elections. Sodrel quickly accepted. Details are still being worked out.

Sodrel said he was not sure about Young’s experience, but he pointed out that he was loyal to President Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment.

“Thou shall not speak ill of any fellow Republican.”