Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly and his challenger, Republican businessman Mike Braun, sparred over Brett Kavanaugh, abortion, the Affordable Care Act and more Monday night in their first debate before the Nov.  6 midterm election.

Donnelly is considered one of the most vulnerable Democratic senators because he represents a red state that favored Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential race by 19 points.

In the debate, Donnelly painted himself as a moderate, and one of the few Democrats who has supported pieces of the president’s agenda, voting with the president 62 percent of the time.

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Donnelly voted against elevating Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. He voted “yes” on Neil Gorsuch, President Trump’s first pick for the nation’s highest court.

Morning Shift checks in with its resident Indiana expert on last night’s debate and the race between Donnelly and conservative Republican Mike Braun.

GUEST: Michael Puente, WBEZ Northwest Indiana reporter

LEARN MORE: Indiana Senate Debate: Braun, Donnelly Try To Paint Each Other As Partisan Extremists (Indianapolis Star 10/8/18)

7 Takeaways From The First Indiana Senate Debate (Indianapolis Star 10/8/18)