Challengers try to push Indiana’s dominant GOP more to right

By TOM DAVIES and SARA BURNETT
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Conservatives in GOP-dominated Indiana are trying to push the Republican-controlled Legislature further to the right on issues like abortion and guns. Roughly two dozen so-called “liberty candidates” are running in Tuesday’s primary, and the targets include several top-ranking GOP House members. Both sides say so many challenges to sitting GOP lawmakers is unusual in a state where Republicans control all statewide offices and Democrats have scant legislative influence. Whether the challengers can defeat incumbents backed by Republican leaders’ multimillion-dollar campaign fund should be answered in Tuesday’s primary.