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Todd Young leads the Senate money race

(WISH Photo)

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Congressman Todd Young is building a big lead when it comes to fundraising in the 2016 race for the GOP Senate nomination.

Young is one of three Republicans battling for the opportunity to replace Dan Coats when he retires.

He has $2.2 million in the bank and he has already spent some money on a television ad aired during the last GOP Presidential debate.

“And the vast majority of that support comes from people right here in Indiana,” said Young, “representative of why I’m running. I’m running to create better jobs.”

Congressman Marlin Stutzman has half the Young total at $1.1 million, and he is in the process of replacing most of his campaign staff.

“We felt like, let’s make sure that, you know, we see that the goal is the same and how we’re going to get there,” said Stutzman, “and there were some differences of opinion and we decided to make the moves now rather than wait.”

He’s looking for a new campaign manager and other key staffers.

Finally, former State GOP Chairman Eric Holcomb is trailing with just $300,000.

“I’m not discouraged at all,” he said. “This election, it’s not store bought. You can’t just go in and pull it off a shelf. You gotta earn it.”

Nevertheless, Todd Young is emerging as a solid favorite in the GOP nomination race and the May primary election is still more than seven months away.