Council for a Livable World

Political action to reduce nuclear threats

  • Elections
    • Senate Candidates
    • House Candidates
    • Political Analysis
    • Who We’ve Helped Elect
  • Legislation
    • Key National Security Legislation
    • National Security Legislative Calendar
    • Legislative Analysis
    • Legislative Achievements
  • Take Action
    • Issues
    • Join Our Email List
    • Become a Member
  • About
    • Staff
    • Press
    • Newsletter
    • Boards & Experts
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Financials and Annual Reports
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Search
You are here: Home / Blog / Sen. Dick Lugar meeting his Waterloo?

April 6, 2012

Sen. Dick Lugar meeting his Waterloo?

Six-term incumbent Indiana Senator Dick Lugar (R) is in deep political trouble.

In a bi-partisan Bipartisan Howey/DePauw Indiana Battleground Poll, Lugar led his Republican challenger, state treasurer Richard Mourdock (R) by only 42% to 35%, with 23% of the voters undecided.

For an incumbent to be so far below the magic 50% number only a month before the May 8 primary suggests how much trouble Lugar is in. Undecided voters in a contest with a well-known incumbent tend to go to the challenger.

Moreover, Lugar has been beset by problems that might not seem large in the grand scheme of things but hurt an incumbent up for re-election.  He has not owned a home in Indiana for years, and initially was denied his right to vote in the primary (subsequently modified).

Lugar was recently forced to repay Treasury almost $15,000 for improperly billed hotel stays in the state.

Conservative groups are spending heavily to defeat Lugar, once Richard Nixon’s favorite Mayor.

The good news for Democrats is if Mourdock wins the primary, he will be locked into a dead-even primary against Democratic Representative Joe Donnelly. Donnelly entered the contest both because he received a bad district in the state’s redistricting effort and in the hope that Lugar would lose his primary.

The same poll showing Lugar in trouble also had Mourdock and Donnelly even with 35% of the vote. Lugar, according to the poll, is ahead of Donnelly 50%-29%.

In 2010, Republicans lost at least three Senate seats they could have won had they not nominated a far-right tea party candidate. History may be repeated in Indiana.

Posted in: Blog

Tweets by Livable World

Recent Posts

  • Statement on the Passing of Former Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder March 15, 2023
  • House Elections: Democratic and Republican Target Seats March 13, 2023
  • An early look at the 2024 House elections March 7, 2023
  • An early glimpse at 2024 Senate elections February 21, 2023
  • Press the Button: The Clock is Ticking February 14, 2023
Council for a Livable World logo

820 1st Street NE, Suite LL-180
Washington, D.C. 20002
Phone: 202.543.4100

Elections

  • Meet The Candidates
  • Senate Candidates
  • House Candidates
  • Who We’ve Helped Elect

Legislation

  • Key National Security Legislation
  • National Security Legislative Calendar
  • Legislative Achievements

Take Action

  • Issues
  • Join Our Email List
  • Become a Member

About

  • History & Mission
  • Staff
  • Press
  • Newsletter
  • Boards & Experts
  • Jobs & Internships
  • Financials and Annual Reports
  • Contact Us
  • Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

© 2023 Council for a Livable World
Privacy Policy