The runner-up to the worst mistake of Republicans in 2010 and 2012 is that of their actions in Indiana.
Republican Richard 'Dick' Lugar had held the Indiana Senate Seat since 1976 and was highly popular in Indiana. In fact the lowest percentage he won the seat by was in 1982 when he won only 54% of the vote. The last time he won the seat was in 2006, this was a year Democrats knew they were going to do very well in as the Republicans were very unpopular. In the 2006 Democrats managed to defeat six incumbent Republicans. Despite the unpopularity of Republicans, Democrats knew that they had no hope of defeating the extremely popular Dick Lugar and didn't run anyone against him. In the 2006 election Lugar won 87% of the vote.
The only problem for Republicans, he was a moderate. Lugar had a history of bi-partisanship, always prepared to reach across the aisle to Democrats. His votes to confirm SCOTUS nominees Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, both liberals appointed by Obama. His support for the DREAM Act and START Treaty further infuriated the Tea Party base. Not helping Lugar was his anti-gun record, epitomised by his F rating from the NRA.
These votes and his friendliness with Democrats meant that Tea Party backed Richard Mourdock decided to challenge him in the Republican primary. Mourdock was successful, garnering 61% of the primary vote. Unlike Alaska in 2010 when Joe Miller beat Lisa Murkowski in the Republican primary but Murkowski went on to win the General Election as a write-in candidate, Indiana law prevented Lugar from doing the same.
Republicans probably thought that their gamble would pay off, but to their disappointment the Democrats found a strong candidate in Joe Donnelly. For most of the campaign Donnelly and Mourdock were tied, until Mourdock torpedoed his own campaign in a debate. Just weeks before the election Mourdock was asked about abortion he said the following:
"Even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."
A lot of people took that to mean that God intended for a women to be raped. Opps. His campaign bombed after this and he went on to lose election by 6%. You can watch the video here.
Republican Richard 'Dick' Lugar had held the Indiana Senate Seat since 1976 and was highly popular in Indiana. In fact the lowest percentage he won the seat by was in 1982 when he won only 54% of the vote. The last time he won the seat was in 2006, this was a year Democrats knew they were going to do very well in as the Republicans were very unpopular. In the 2006 Democrats managed to defeat six incumbent Republicans. Despite the unpopularity of Republicans, Democrats knew that they had no hope of defeating the extremely popular Dick Lugar and didn't run anyone against him. In the 2006 election Lugar won 87% of the vote.
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| Six-term Senator, Dick Lugar source: www.wikipedia.org |
These votes and his friendliness with Democrats meant that Tea Party backed Richard Mourdock decided to challenge him in the Republican primary. Mourdock was successful, garnering 61% of the primary vote. Unlike Alaska in 2010 when Joe Miller beat Lisa Murkowski in the Republican primary but Murkowski went on to win the General Election as a write-in candidate, Indiana law prevented Lugar from doing the same.
Republicans probably thought that their gamble would pay off, but to their disappointment the Democrats found a strong candidate in Joe Donnelly. For most of the campaign Donnelly and Mourdock were tied, until Mourdock torpedoed his own campaign in a debate. Just weeks before the election Mourdock was asked about abortion he said the following:
"Even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."
A lot of people took that to mean that God intended for a women to be raped. Opps. His campaign bombed after this and he went on to lose election by 6%. You can watch the video here.
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| Failed Senate candidate, Richard Mourdock source: www.globalsolutions.org |
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