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Yoder, Hollingsworth in the closest Indiana congressional race

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) – The battle to replace Todd Young in the 9th District Congressional seat is one that is suddenly attracting national interest.

Democrat Shelli Yoder and Republican Trey Hollingsworth are locked in a race that appears to be a tossup.

That’s why you’re seeing so many TV ads on both sides of the race. The Republicans and the Democrats on Capitol Hill are both trying to affect the outcome of this open seat contest.

It’s the closest congressional race in Indiana.

Yoder is running for the second time. She lost to Todd Young in 2012. She’s a professor at Indiana University and her ads talk about her Indiana roots.

Hollingsworth is a first time candidate who is running as an outsider. His ads talk about the jobs he’s created through a business that buys old manufacturing plants and refurbishes them.

Internal Democratic polls show the race tied and both candidates agree it’s close.

“You just get a sense for how people react to you, what’s on people’s minds, what’s on voters’ hearts, what’s important to Hoosiers,” said Yoder, “and I get a sense that there’s a wind at our backs and a win in our midst.”

Hollingsworth said he doesn’t know what the polls say. “We haven’t gone to the field in weeks because we’ve seen the enthusiasm,” he said, “and what I’m seeing at doors is that people are excited about my candidacy for real change and how committed I am to real change.”

New ads from Washington Republicans accuse Yoder of supporting defense cuts that would place Americans in jeopardy.

And ads from Yoder portray Hollingsworth as Tennessee Trey and call him a carpetbagger.

Money is always a factor and Hollingsworth admits to spending $2 million of his own money on this campaign.

A super PAC created by his dad is spending even more.