The Senate Debate

Last night at IPFW in Fort Wayne, the 2nd of three debates held by the Indiana Debate Commission for the United States Senate race was held.  The three candidates for the office, Republican Dan Coats, Democrat Brad Ellsworth (just Google Ellsworth's name and you'll find his site if you really want to!) and Libertarian Rebecca Sink-Burris, participated in the debate.

Arriving as early as I could (in other words, not as early as I would've liked), I saw several fellow pro-lifers holding signs, and I spotted two familiar brothers-in-arms:

Michael Lewinski (left) and Dave Armstrong (right), patriots to the core

The debate started promptly at 7 p.m., with the candidates being asked questions previously submitted to the Commission by voters.  The questions ranged from the federal tax code to veteran's issues, gay rights to campaign finance reform, from the stimulus bills to ObamaCare.

Much of the debate involved a continual bout between Dan Coats and Brad Ellsworth over their past records (Coats as a lobbyist and Ellsworth as a Congressman); it got to the point that the candidates were given an additional 30 seconds in order to address the attacks made by Ellsworth against Coats.  Rather appropriately, the last questioner asked about the negative campaigning and mudslinging.

The debate ended at 8 p.m., and I came away with the opinion Dan Coats won it.  The former Senator and Ambassador held his ground, spoke openly of his lobbyist past, and answered the questions directed at him.  Congressman Ellsworth tried to sound like the Blue Dog Democrat he has claimed to be for four years now while continuing to attack former Senator Coats (I frankly yawned several times when he spoke).  Mrs. Sink-Burris did well (I liked her citing the need for shrinking government), but she kept harping about the major parties being the parties of big government and the Libertarian Party as the party of small government.  I wasn't there to support political parties, but the candidate I want to see in the United States Senate (considering who her opponent was during the state Libertarian convention this past May, it serves as a reminder of the need for the right candidates regardless of what letter is attached to them).

None of the candidates are perfect (especially a certain "Nancy" boy), but casting my vote for Dan Coats will not be a bitter pill to swallow; this much I learned from the debate.