Jim Banks skips debate and other takeaways from Indiana's only U.S. Senate debate

The Democratic and Libertarian candidates running for U.S. Senate in Indiana this year debated federal issues from health care to immigration Tuesday night in an event that featured little drama or negative swipes.

But let’s talk about the elephant not in the room.

Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, who represents Northeast Indiana in Congress and is widely viewed as the front-runner ahead of Election Day on Tuesday declined an invitation to participate in the debate, hosted by the Indiana Debate Commission. He spent most of Tuesday in Evansville for campaign and congressional appearances, according to news releases from his staff and offices.

That left Democrat Valerie McCray and Libertarian Andrew Horning, Banks opponents, on the debate stage to make their case to Hoosier voters with less than a week to go until Election Day in a top-of-ticket race that's generated little attention. Most of the national focus and major fundraising have flowed to the governor’s race.

Indiana voter guide: Who's running for Congress, Statehouse, governor, AG and school board

Despite the debate Tuesday night, McCray and Horning face an uphill climb in name recognition, fundraising and general political odds. National election analysts, such as Sabato’s Crystal Ball and the Cook Political Report both place Indiana’s open Senate race as “safe” and “solid” Republican.

Here’s what you need to know about Tuesday’s debate

Few attacks, despite no Jim Banks

The lack of a Banks appearance could have provided a night filled of attacks on the Republican congressman, but that was not the case. Horning and McCray also barely attacked each other with the Libertarian using a rebuttal to tell McCray he liked a comment she made about marijuana laws.

“I’m going to use my rebuttal to say I like what you said,” Horning said. “That’s all.”

But outside of a mention at the start of the debate that Banks declined to participate, the first vague reference to the Republican was 30 minutes in on a question about the CHIPS and Sciences Act when McCray mentioned that Banks voted against the bill championed by U.S. Sen. Todd Young.

McCray then made another mention of Banks in her closing statement, criticizing Banks for not showing up to discuss issues facing Indiana.

“My main opponent is not here today,” McCray said. “And he's not here because he disrespects Indiana Hoosiers and will not stand in the same place and support or talk about his systems or what he's for.”

As the credits rolled on the debate, Horning was caught on a hot mic speaking to McCray.

“I’m glad you mentioned Jim Banks. I wanted to,” Horning said.

The aside led to heavy laughter in the media room at WISH-TV studios, where the debate was being held.

Horning’s past experience showed

Horning’s 2024 campaign is not his first run for U.S. Senate, so Tuesday night was also not Horning’s first televised debate.

Horning was the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate in 2012 when the candidates that year were Democrat Joe Donnelly, who eventually won the race, and Republican Richard Mourdock, the former Indiana state treasurer. The infamous moment from the U.S. Senate debate that year was Mourdock’s comment that a woman becoming pregnant during rape “is something that God intended.”

But here in 2024, Horning’s years of campaign experience showed as he rattled off facts about the national debt, foreign policy and the federal and state constitutions. He also repeatedly referenced his view that government and the two-party system is corrupt.

“I think we need to get to the problems and the solutions very quickly,” Horning said in his opening statement. “Because I'm going to suggest that all of the problems are because of too much government, and we need to have a whole lot less.”

McCray was most comfortable on mental health

McCray, a clinical psychologist from Indianapolis, has not run for statewide office in Indiana before and at times Tuesday night that showed.

She was frequently cut off by the moderator after going over her allotted time limit in responses to questions, including in her opening statement at the start of the debate.

But McCray seemed most comfortable on a question asking how candidates planned to expand access to mental health care and the need for broadband in rural areas to provide telehealth. She ran for president in 2020 specifically to try to elevate mental health care as an issue, she said.

“I got into politics because of the lack of mental health supports,” she said. “I wanted to make mental health a priority in Washington, DC. And when I first started, mental health was a taboo to even talk about. And I'm very excited about the fact that now everyone is talking about it.”

Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Takeaways from Indiana's only U.S. Senate Debate before Election Day