bye bye Senator Lugar. Hello batshit crazy Senator Teabag

[cali]

Indiana U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, a six-term incumbent and a leading voice on foreign policy in Congress, trails his Tea Party-backed challenger by double-digits ahead of Tuesday's Republican primary, a poll showed on Friday.

Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who draws support from the conservative Tea Party movement, leads Lugar by 10 percentage points for the May 8 primary contest, the Howey/Depauw Indiana Battleground Poll showed.

If defeated, Lugar, the senior Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a leading voice on stemming the spread of nuclear weapons, would be first Senate incumbent to lose his seat this election year.

The poll conducted this week showed Mourdock with 48 percent support among likely Republican primary voters compared to Lugar's 38 percent. This was a sharp swing from a poll taken in late March by the same group in which Lugar led 42 percent to 35 percent.

"It certainly looks as if the momentum has shifted toward Richard Mourdock," Republican pollster Christine Matthews wrote of the poll she conducted with Democratic pollster Fred Yang, political analyst Brian Howey, and Depauw University.

<snip>

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/04/us-usa-campaign-lugar-poll-idUSTRE84317720120504

[Arkana]

1. Could Donnelly win if Mourdock beats Lugar?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. Yes

Polls show him running roughly neck-and-neck with Mourdock. Lugar would, according to polling, be more likely to hold onto his seat if he wins the primary though he will have been damaged by this primary. I would be sad to see Lugar be replaced by this teabaggin' idiot (Mourdock).

[corkhead]

9. Worth the risk

Lugar votes in lockstep with the rest of the republicons, I don't think there would be a whole lot of difference when it is all said and done. The Democrat stands a much better chance against the crazy teabagger than he would against a 6 term incumbent.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

18. You have a good point

Lugar though is not batshit insane crazy like Mourdock would be. I've been disappointed that he's been voting along with the rest of the GOP for filibusters but he did vote for a few Democratic bills so he's not all that bad for a Republican IMHO. However, OTOH it would be lovely to have a Democratic US Senator from Indiana again!

[LonePirate]

22. When all the Repubs vote in lockstep, their relative sanity or insanity doesn't really matter.

If Lugar losing gives the Dem a better chance, then I hope he goes down in flames.

[Pab Sungenis]

37. But can we count on a new Democratic Senator from Indiana

to actually vote like a Democrat? The last one didn't that often.

[salin]

39. Donnoly is rather blue dog. Guessing he would be sort of like Bayh.

better than the teabagger, but not necessarily a party line voter for the dems.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

53. I dunno

I'm not crazy about "Blue Dog" Dems but they still (mostly) vote for Democratic policies. I don't know much about Donnelly's stances but him swiping a seat here in Indiana would still be better than Mourdock winning IMHO.

[caseymoz]

30. You're not considering one thing.

It isn't just the voting record. It's the laws the tea-nut introduces, and as you can see, the fact that they can hang up common sense things like the raising of the debt ceiling.

Yet, I think it might be worth the risk, too.

[Carolina]

36. This is what Lugar deserves

Sorry for Indiana, though.

But when Republicans like Lugar don't stand up to the intractable right wing, to the stupidity of the teabaggers, to their obstructionist colleagues... then they deserve to lose!

Republicans are the problem and they are becoming their own worst enemy. Serves them right. Too bad for the rest of us, however.

[newspeak]

55. it's not just the stupidity of the teabaggers;

it's the outright bigotry and meanness. It's like a bunch of randian sociopaths.

[Indykatie]

11. Most of the Polls Showing a Close Race Have a Tie to the one of the Campaigns or their PACs n/t

[Proud Liberal Dem]

19. Are you talking about the polling (re: Donnelly vs. the two candidates)

or the polling for Lugar vs. Mourdock?

[bluestate10]

28. Yes. He has to run a smart campaign and hope that Obama is competitive with Romney

in the state.

[AngryOldDem]

42. No.

As much as I would like to agree with the posters here who think otherwise, I think if Lugar loses on Tuesday, Mourdock has a clear shot through to the Senate. It upsets me, because Mourdock is about as sleazy as they come, but that makes no difference to a vast majority of Hoosiers who believe every single outrageous claim against Obama and the Democrats. The theme of the primary ads this year is "Obama is a Socialist," and I think it's resonating.

And, face it, the residency flap that Lugar found himself in this spring didn't help him much either.

It's sad that in most places in Indiana -- especially in the county I'm in (one of the reddest in the U.S.) -- the GOP has such a stranglehold that any other vote is virtually meaningless except on local and state issues.

If indeed Mourdock wins on Tuesday, Donnelly needs to start hitting it hard come Wednesday, and not let up until November.

[kristopher]

48. Do you think the women's health issue is going to change anyones perspective?

If you haven't seen this it is worth watching. You might even want to share it with others.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/87be7156f5/republicans- get-in-my-vagina

[AngryOldDem]

56. Overall, no.

Are you from Indiana? This state is about as conservative as they come, and a true hotbed of Teabagger politics.

Although last weekend a small group of people rallied in front of the Statehouse for women's health issues, overall it's pretty much God, gays, guns, and saving the baybees here. Every ad -- and I mean EVERY ad -- for primary candidates makes the point that they are conservative and pro-life. Damn whatever else, those are the two prerequisites for running for office here. Got a piece of campaign literature in the mail from another 'bagger running for Congress -- David McIntosh -- that actually said you would have to go back to 1620 to find anyone more conservative. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read that.

So, while some here do care about women's health and women's issues in general, I don't think that it will be much of a factor in Tuesday's vote. Our march backward continues...

Again, as I said, I do hope I'm wrong and that Lugar pulls it out. But I also don't have any illusions about this state, either.

Oh, and did I mention Mike Pence is running for governor?

[elleng]

2. Reliable?

Howey/Depauw Indiana Battleground Poll

[cali]

3. I don't know ellen, but I've thought for some

time that Lugar will be defeated.

[DefenseLawyer]

4. Probably not, but

It's turnout that matters. If there is low turnout the zealot always wins. Normal turnout the normal person wins. With no meaningful presidential primary you have to think turnout will be low and the goofball will win. I do think Donnelly could beat Mourdock, but I'm not sure enough of it to actually hope Mourdock wins the primary.

[cali]

6. is it an open primary or just repubs?

[DefenseLawyer]

8. Open primary n/t

[ananda]

7. This is scary y'all.

I hope Donnelly can win!

[Indykatie]

10. I'm in Indiana

I think Dems have a decent shot at winning if Mourdock is the candidate. The Dems have a good candidate in Donnelly. Lugar has enjoyed wide support among Dems and Independents over his career. None (hopefully) of the Dems and a much smaller number of the Independents will support Moudock if he is the candidate. It's an open primary so there will be some number of Dems voting for Mourdock (me included) to create a little hilarity as DKos calls it. Even without that factor the sense here is that Lugar is going down to defeat.

[caraher]

26. Please please please don't vote Mourdock

It's just not worth the risk of putting yet another tea party nitwit in office. The problem is, this is Indiana, the state where, in the same year Obama carried the state, we still had enough voters who will cast a ballot for anything with an (R) after its name that admitted election law-flouter Charlie White won Secretary of State. Even the Indy Star endorsed the Democrat, but whatever coattails Obama may have had were far too short to keep White from crushing him.

This poll definitely reflects the lawn sign activity where I am (Greencastle, home of DePauw).

[coalition_unwilling]

32. Lugar enabled Bush and Cheney's crimes against humanity. He deserves

to be defeated ignominiously.

I mean you can't get much worse than Operation Shocking and Awful.

[hfojvt]

12. am I really supposed to miss Lugar?

I am having some trouble with this.

[cali]

13. I don't believe that I said anything of the sort.

[SCantiGOP]

14. re "missing Lugar"

it would be like replacing Republican Olympia Snowe with Republican Sarah Palin.

[Horse with no Name]

15. Well at the end of the day

If Snowe and Palin vote the same way...then it really doesn't make any difference that one is actually batshit crazy and one only votes batshit crazy.

However....the crazy bagger should be easier for the sane Democrat to beat.

That is what I am looking at.

[cali]

16. but there's a shitload of evidence that Snowe and Palin would not vote even remotely the same

way.

And Indiana, despite Obama winning it by a hair in '08 is pretty darn red.

[hfojvt]

20. Is that a relevant analogy?

Is Lugar as "good" as Snowe (who was one of the only ones to vote for the stimulus, for example) or is she more like Jerry Moran of Kansas? Better than Tiahrt (who he beat in the primary) but so far not seeming to vote all that much differently than Tiahrt would have.

[penndragon69]

17. Bat shit crazy Mourdock

I hope Mourdock does win over Lugar because Lugar is completely out of touch
with hoosier voters, plus he's old and getting senile.

It's been virtually impossible to challenge Lugar over the years,
but with the BAT SHIT CRAZY tea-bagger Mourdock, And the growing
disgust for reich wingers, it will be a lot easier for SANITY to return to Indiana.

From another hoosier Democrat in the the RED zone.

[Honest_Abe]

44. Dan Coats

Remember, we elected him. I have little faith.

[bluestate10]

58. Coates took advantage of the 2010 mood.

Democratic voters sitting at home in large numbers and republicans claiming that they would focus on job creation. Fast forward to 2012. Republicans have obstructed job creation in the hope of defeating Obama. Republicans in the House and across the country have invaded lives by approving invasive social legislation. After being slapped up side the head since the 2010 elections, democrats and independents have gotten the message that most republicans are vile. The fact that Coates was elected and then became part of the republican assault on the middleclass and families makes ity more likely that Donnelly can be elected if he runs a strong campaign.

[Flatpicker]

21. Just what we need

Another Knucklebagger in power.

[wwytchwood]

23. who cares?

Indiana will join the NEW SOUTH, the states of MI, OH, WI, MN and IA, in being asshole centrals.

[DocMac]

24. You can add PA to that list.

At least they are starting to see what Republicans do.

I don't know what happened to WI. I guess these states that voted for these R Govenors are gonna have to learn the hard way. The sad thing is that it will take a decade to fix the damage done.

[Namvet67]

25. I'm in Indiana....and I agree

[davidwparker]

27. Good news, if under Dean's 50 state strategy, the Dems are also running someone. Bat crap crazy,

meet someone of reason.

Bad news if the Dems did not run someone according to Dean's 50 state strategy.

[mahina]

29. We won in Indiana in 2008, even though just by one point

http://www.electoral-vote.com/

I remember being blown away by that.

You Indiana folks, can do!

[B Calm]

31. The NRA wants Lugar out. . .

I live behind the Hoosier Iron Curtain. Trust me, the Tea Bag nut case will win with the NRA supporting him. I never seen so many gun loonies in one state.

[IamK]

33. NRA rates Lugar an F and wants him out, he is done. Donnelly is basically a rebublican also...

From donnelly's web page...

Congressman Donnelly Rated 8th Most Conservative Democrat in U.S. House of Representatives

http://donnelly.house.gov/2010/02/congressman-donnelly-rated-8th-most-conservative-democrat-in-us-house-of-representatives.shtml

[OKNancy]

35. Doesn't matter

It's better to have someone vote with the Dems 50% of the time than a Republican who votes 0%.
Even if the Dem never votes our way, it is better for numbers and retaining committee chairs and retaining the Majority.

[Pab Sungenis]

38. A majority does you no good

if your majority doesn't back you when the time comes to vote. Witness: the Senate 2009-2010.

[BitaMig]

34. A Pub is a Pub is a Pub

it does not matter if they are a moderate pub or a bagger pub, they ALL need to be voted out of office.

The thing we need to look out for is what Dems become friends with Mourdock.

[cali]

40. actually it does matter.

Much as I'd like to see all pubs voted out of office, that aint' gonna happen. And no, a pub is a pub is a pub is not true.

I voted happily for a repub senator for years against all dem comers. I never regretted it for one second. His name is Jim Jeffords; he became an independent in his last term, but as a republican he was still a very good rep.

[BitaMig]

43. that was yesterday this is today

please list all the "Moderate" Republicans currently in Congress.

Please list all the "Moderate" Republicans currently running for national office

Last time I looked I could not find one single sane moderate Republican in congress, even the 2 so-called moderates from Maine did not even sign on to the ACA in the end even though accommodations were made to them.

[spanone]

41. gawd forbid the wingnuts have a voice of reason representing them

[Hubert Flottz]

45. Defending Senator Richard Lugar

I have watched Senator Richard Lugar go right along with every lie the GOP has thrown out there for as long as I can remember seeing him on my TV screen. He was one of Bush's go to pimps in congress for 8 years of war crimes and looting of America. I lave no respect for the "Man"...

[Judi Lynn]

46. Democrats could gain if Indiana's Lugar loses U.S. Senate seat

Democrats could gain if Indiana's Lugar loses U.S. Senate seat
By Nick Carey
Sat May 5, 2012 1:23pm EDT

(Reuters) - The last time Republican Senate veteran Richard Lugar stood for election, in 2006, he was so respected that the Democrats did not bother to run against him and he won his Indiana seat with 87 percent of the vote.

But now Lugar, 80, is faltering under a conservative challenge from within his own party in Tuesday's Indiana Republican primary. That is giving Democrats, struggling to keep control of the U.S. Senate in November's elections, a glimmer of hope of winning the U.S. Senate seat Lugar has held for 36 years.

Accused of worrying as much about India as Indiana, foreign policy expert Lugar is trailing his Tea Party movement opponent Richard Mourdock in polls in the state, by as much as 10 points in one survey.

Although traditionally Republican, Indiana has become more of a swing state in recent years. If small-government advocate Mourdock wins on Tuesday, Democratic candidate Joe Donnelly is seen as having a better chance of winning in the November general election than if the more moderate Lugar is the Republican candidate.

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/05/us-usa-campaign-lugar-idUSBRE8440A020120505?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&rpc=401

[penndragon69]

47. Vote for MOURDOCK !

He's easy to beat.

AS treasury sec:
Lost or misplaced almost $400 MILLION dollars of state funds.
This caused draconian cuts in education and fast tracking
of school vouchers.

Then....Surprise, he finds almost $400 million hidden to obscure accounts
that apparently NOBODY knew about.

But once this money was back in the till, did it go to restore public education...wait for it,

HELL NO !

It's being used to prop up other failures of the daniels Mis-administration.
He's a tea bagger crack pot who worships the Rand /Norquist doctrine.
GO MOURDOCK !

[KoKo]

49. Perhaps Indiana will manage to do a "Recall?" n/t

[LoisB]

50. Perhaps Lugar should have done his job: Looking out for his constituents and the "American

People" rather than walking lockstep with Mitch "NO" McConnell.

[thoreau54]

51. I really though that.............

the tea party was becoming a non-sequiter, if not already. it's up to us libs and progressives to extinguish these dopes in november----NATIONWIDE!!! (although it would be in our interest to keep some of them around, just for yuks).

we fell asleep in 2010, so never again.


my only observation re: tea party members is this:

i never thought anyone could be so gullible AND stupid. to quote Disraeli "All leaning against each other, and all together upon nothing".

[provis99]

52. Lugar is a right-wing extremist nutjob. Mourdock is worse.

Indiana politics is a lot more like Southern politics than Midwestern politics; bigots, religious fanatics, and racists abound aplenty.

[edhopper]

54. In an intelligent, civilized nation

this bagger would have no chance of being elected. That his odds are even 50/50 is staggering and speaks to the sorry state of our country.

[malaise]

57. Good

They encouraged the crazies