Republicans on Capitol Hill have tried to cut funding to Pell Grants and Democrat Joe Donnelly wants that to be an issue in his race for the Senate.  Donnelly toured Ivy Tech Tuesday to express support for higher education and job training.

He also took time to criticize Republican Richard Mourdock.  He says Mourdock has an extreme agenda that threatens all aid to education.  “I think one of the keys to Indiana’s economy for the future is to have the best educated workforce in the world,” said Donnelly.  “Richard Mourdock has gone and said he’s going to have painful, severe, and inconvenient cuts to Indiana’s education.”

Richard Mourdock spokesman Brose McVey respond by saying that Mourdock supports Pell Grants and has worked to successfully expand Indiana 529 college savings plan.  He accused Donnelly of trying to create a distraction during the Democratic National Convention.  “Whenever he can change the subject and  make things up about educational grant cuts or he can be as far away from President Obama as possible, he’s going to be,” said McVey.