Firing an Old Lugar

[Hoosier Daddy]

Sen. Richard Lugar - the longest-serving senator in Indiana history - has lost his Republican Senate primary on Tuesday to state Treasurer Richard Mourdock.

The 60-year-old Mourdock, who told the New York Times it is "time for confrontation" as opposed to collegiality, also criticized Lugar for supporting the financial bailout, President Obama's Supreme Court nominees and raising the debt limit. His message was amplified by the Tea Party-aligned FreedomWorks, which held "activist training" sessions and made phone calls on Mourdock's behalf, and the super PAC Club for Growth, which spent more than $1.4 million on the race. (Lugar's campaign, which had spent $6.7 million on the race as of April, did significantly outspend Mourdock's, which had spent $2 million as of April.)

Even the Democrat candidate for the Senate seat, Joe Donnelly, may be more conservative than Lugar.

[Jumping Frog]

NRA had a large impact on this race, but don't expect the lamestream media to acknowledge it.

Chris Cox released a statement that read in part:

Since the 1990s, Sen. Lugar has become notorious for his zealous support of gun control schemes and his fervent anti-gun positions.

Your NRA was fully vested in this race with a comprehensive campaign that encompassed thousands of radio and television ads in the months before the today's primary election. This effort also included 600,000 web ads. The media campaign was also supplemented by a concentrated advocacy and get-out-the-vote phone and mail program. All in all, nearly 500,000 phone calls were made and nearly 700,000 pieces of mail were sent in this remarkable victory for freedom.

Together we made a difference in this race.

Here are some of the highlights of Senator Lugar’s anti-gun record:

• He voted to confirm both Elena Kagan, and Sonya Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, one of only four Republican Senators to vote for both. (Vote 262, 8/6/2009, and Vote 229, 8/5/2010)
• He voted to reinstate the ban on commonly owned semi-automatic rifles. (Vote 24, 03/02/2004). He voted for the original semi-automatic firearm ban. (Vote 375, 11/17/1993)
• He voted for passage of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) in 2004 only after the semi-auto ban and gun show regulations had been added to the bill, making it unacceptable. (Vote 30, 3/2/2004). In 2005, he also voted for PLCAA, but he also supported a gutting amendment that failed. (Vote 208, 7/28/2005)
• He voted for the Brady bill. (Vote 394, 11/20/1993)
• He voted for campaign finance reform. (Vote 64, 4/2/2001)
• He voted for legislation to regulate gun shows out of existence. (Vote 111, 5/20/1999, Vote 134, 5/20/1999 and Vote 25, 3/2/2004)
• He voted to ban the importation of standard capacity magazines. (Vote 240, 7/28/1998, Vote 116, 5/13/1999)
• He voted to mandate that a trigger lock be included with every handgun. (Vote 17, 2/26/2004)
• He voted against interstate right to carry reciprocity. (Vote 237, 7/22/2009)
• He voted against a bill to restore the Second Amendment rights to DC residents. (Vote 160, 2/26/2009)
• He voted to commend the "Million Mom March", which has called for gun registration, gun show restrictions, and the semi-auto ban. (Vote 104, 5/17/2000)
• He voted to ban using the Internet to list a firearms for sale for anyone other than licensed dealers. (Vote 119, 5/14/1999)
• He voted to ban hunting in the Mojave National Monument. (Vote 87, 4/12/1994)

[Hoosier Daddy]

Through all that, the Republican leadership continued to support him as their choice. I really HOPE we have a lot more CHANGE like this in 2012.

[ELB]

'bout time.

When I was a kid he was mayor of Indianapolis, and I remember him first running for higher office. Dang, I must be old when I can remember when Dick Lugar resembled a conservative...

[FishInTx]

Retiring or...... FIRED?

[C-dub]

Retiring or...... FIRED?

Aw, you beat me to it.

[Jumping Frog]

Through all that, the Republican leadership continued to support him as their choice. I really HOPE we have a lot more CHANGE like this in 2012.

Yep, it is a real dilemna when everything in the Senate hinges on seniority. There are downsides that hurt a state when it replaces a long seniority senator with a freshman. The system is rigged to keep the ruling class from both parties in power.

[MeMelYup]

voted for his resignation.

[scud runner]

I hope this is one in a large number of TEA party wins against socialists in both parties.