By Shelby Mullis
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS—What has been called the nation’s nastiest and costliest Senate race is over, and Republican Mike Braun will take incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly’s place in the United States Senate.

Donnelly conceded to Braun in Indiana’s high-stakes Senate race around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday after trailing behind his Republican challenger as soon as polling stations closed at 6 p.m.

Donnelly has represented Indiana in the Senate since 2012 when he beat Republican Richard Mourdock from the Tea Party wing of the GOP with just a five-point lead — a stunning upset for the Republican Party.

With 53 percent of precincts reported, Braun was leading with 54 percent of the vote to 42 percent when Donnelly offered his concession speech. Libertarian Lucy Brenton, who staked her claim as the spoiler in the race, trailed at 4 percent of the vote.

Several media outlets called Braun’s victory early Tuesday night, including ABC News at 8:42 p.m. with fewer than 50 percent of precincts reporting.

“Just like any competition, you fight hard,” Braun said during his victory speech Tuesday. “You want to win? You’ve got to make your case. We did it.”

Nancy Paul of New Castle said she hopes Braun, “as an outsider,” will actually follow-through — not just be a “smooth-talking politician.”

“I think it’s a good sign for the Republican party, and I think a lot of it’s the Trump effect,” Paul said.

The former state representative primarily self-funded his campaign, which started in August 2017, with more than $10 million of the $16 million raised since last July coming from personal loans. He ran his campaign on the premise of his “political outsider” status and real-world experience.

Donnelly sold himself on the basis that he has voted with President Donald Trump most of the time, specifically when his actions align with Hoosier values. He thanked Hoosiers for letting him serve the state in Washington for 12 years.

“I end this in a way that I’ve been filled up so much more by you, that you’ve given me so much,” Donnelly said Tuesday night.

Genene Kambes, a retired school teacher, said she’s disappointed in the results.

“I thought the Donnelly and Braun election would be closer,” Kambes said.

Braun and Donnelly both have taken their fair share of shots at each other during this election season through endless television, radio and internet ads.

Braun accused Donnelly of being just another politician trying to keep his job at all costs while the incumbent portrayed the challenger as promoting health care and tax policies that hurt average Hoosiers. Meanwhile, Donnelly criticized Braun for his company’s high health care deductibles.

He also attacked Braun for supporting a lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act, saying that would allow insurance companies to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.

“We need to make sure we work to bring our country together than to divide it; to make sure every American has a chance,” Donnelly said.

Dionte Coleman and James Polston contributed to this story.

FOOTNOTE: Shelby Mullis is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.