Brian Howey: Donnelly passes on a challenge to Sen. Young Brian Howey U.S. Sen. Todd Young is a political death star when he’s matched up against an opponent of congressional pedigree. In 2010, he won a four-way Republican primary by defeating former congressman Mike Sodrel. His victory nearly wiped out his campaign war chest, but he raised $357,000 in the third quarter and overcame a $700,000 cash disadvantage to defeat Democrat U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, 52-42% that autumn. In the 2016 U.S. Senate primary, Rep. Young defeated Republican U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman 67-33%. He figured he would face Hill again, but that July the Democrat stepped aside, former governor and senator Evan Bayh took his place with $10 million he had hoarded since he left the Senate six years earlier, and lost to Young by a 10-point margin.