Republican U.S. Senate candidates Marlin Stutzman and Todd Young met Monday for their first and only televised debate before the May 3 primary.

The endorsement comes about a month before Young will face off against 3rd District Rep. Marlin Stutzman in May's primary.

The state Democratic Party and U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman - Young's Republican primary opponent - filed challenges to Young's candidacy, claiming he didn't have the necessary voter signatures to make the ballot.

Stutzman's action piles on a challenge filed with the Indiana Election Division earlier this week by the state Democratic Party. Both claim Young doesn't have the required number of signatures to be on the ballot.

The question surfaced as U.S. Rep. Todd Young's candidacy for U.S. Senate is in jeopardy over failing to collect enough signatures to meet the required threshold.

State Democrats say U.S. Rep. Todd Young's campaign didn't obtain the required number of voter signatures to appear on the Republican primary ballot for U.S. Senate.

Former Indiana Republican Party chairman Eric Holcomb is dropping out of the race for the U.S. Senate.

The three Republican candidates for Indiana's open U.S. Senate seat met here for their first debate Saturday.

From October to December, Young raised $749,163 - the second-highest total ever for a non-incumbent senator in Indiana for an off-year, according to Young's campaign manager, Trevor Foughty.

Fourth District Republican Chairman Craig Dunn announced Monday that candidates Eric Holcomb, Marlin Stutsman and Todd Young have confirmed they'll participate in the Jan. 16 debate at a Kokomo restaurant.