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Major party candidates for Senate will run unopposed in primary

The Indiana Election Commission listens to challenges filed by voters who have issues with candidates on the upcoming primary ballot.
The Indiana Election Commission listens to challenges filed by voters who have issues with candidates on the upcoming primary ballot.

U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) will not face a primary challenger in May following an Indiana Election Commission hearing on Friday. The panel also cleared the way for Tom McDermott to be the Democratic candidate for the seat.

The Indiana Election Commission removed Democratic candidates Haneefah Khaaliq and Valerie McCray as well as Republican candidate Danny Niederberger from the primary ballot. Each candidate failed to submit at least 500 signatures on a petition in all Indiana congressional districts by the deadline.

It all means the Republican and Democratic candidates will have no primary challengers. Incumbent Senator Young and Democrat Tom McDermott will face each other on the ballot in the fall.

In the same meeting, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks (R-Columbia City) won a challenge against his candidacy claiming  he supported the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Contact reporter Justin at  jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at  @Hicks_JustinM.

Justin Hicks covers statewide workforce development and employment issues. Before moving to Indiana, Justin was a freelance journalist and audio producer in New York City covering a variety of topics from crime to classical music. Justin is a graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and Appalachian State University.