Luke Messer looks to turn U.S. Senate seat red again

WARSAW, Ind. — U.S. Senate candidate Luke Messer is looking to restore conservative values to Donnelly’s seat.

The three-term congressman touted his record in the Capitol and in the Statehouse to voters as proof of that.

A packed hall filled with conservative voters reiterated their values to candidates like Messer during last week’s fish fry in Kosciusko County.

“Republicans are going to have to nominate an authentic conservative that can take the case to Joe Donnelly,” said Messer. “Most Indiana voters support this President and they want to see a United States senator that will help the President pass his agenda.”

It’s a message Messer has been pushing since he launched his senate bid in July.

And if he clears the primary this summer, he’s looking forward to embracing a likely endorsement from President Donald Trump in the fall.

“The President won Indiana by 19 percentage points,” he said. “Obviously Vice President Mike Pence is from Indiana. They’re both very popular here and we would welcome their support.”

Messer’s supporters say they’re backing the candidate because he knows Congress well.

He was first elected to the U.S. House of Representative in 2012 and served in Indiana’s General Assembly for three years.

While on the Hill, Messer co-sponsored 64 bills including the Safe Schools Act following the deadly Parkland School Shooting.

“As a result you’ll have grant funding to help more schools in Indiana keep out schools safe,” he said.

And H.R. 4805, a bill that would take away federal funding for sanctuary cities as immigration reform talks continue.

“But there’s more that can be done if we had a United States Senate that functions,” said Messer. “As I said before leaders in both parties have contributed to this broken U.S. Senate.”

Messer’s looking to be that fix by turning the seat red again come November.

“I’m focused on helping President Trump make America great again, getting this economy booming again so we have good paying jobs,” said Messer. “That’s what my focus will be in the U.S. Senate.”