The Indianapolis Star endorsed Republican Todd Young in his Senate battle with Democrat Evan Bayh, writing that Young "has the ability to grow into the type of effective and thoughtful leader" that Congress needs.
Indiana's largest paper wrote that Young, who has served in the House of Representatives for the past six years, would be a fitting replacement for the state's retiring Republican Sen. Dan Coats in its Friday endorsement.
"Young is a fitting successor to the senator he would replace—Republican Dan Coats, who is retiring from public office," wrote the paper's editorial board. "Coats in the past six years has provided a thoughtful conservative voice in the Senate and has served as a complementary bookend to Indiana’s other senator, moderate Democrat Joe Donnelly."
"Young has served Hoosiers well in Congress for the past six years," it wrote. "He also provides a moderate-conservative voice that reflects the views of many Hoosiers and provides a valuable complement to Donnelly, and Young has the ability to grow into the type of effective and thoughtful leader that Coats has typified in his final years in the Senate."
Although the editorial board characterized Bayh, who formerly served as Indiana's governor and represented the state in the U.S. Senate, as a "well-qualified" leader, it slammed him for his decision to make millions as a lobbyist after his retirement.
"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," wrote the paper. "Yet, Bayh chose to remain in Washington, D.C., to take a job with a legal and lobbying firm."
"And now Bayh, having made millions of dollars because of his insider connections, has decided to seek a return to the Senate," it wrote. "His leap into the race less than six months ago was driven chiefly by his party’s opportunity to regain control of the chamber."