Veteran Lugar defeated by Tea Party candidate in GOP primary

Indianapolis, Ind., United States (4E) – Richard Lugar, one of the longest-serving United States senators in history, has been defeated by Tea Party-backed Richard E. Mourdock in Tuesday’s Republican primary in Indiana.

Lugar, who has held his seat for six terms, lost by a 20 percent margin against Mourdock, who said he couldn’t have won without the support of Tea Party activists. Mourdock won 61 percent percent against Lugar’s 39 percent.

In his concession speech, Lugar said that he hopes Mourdock prevails in November, when he faces Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly, so he can contribute to the Republican majority in the Senate.

Mourdock, in his acceptance speech, said that “Hoosiers want to see Republicans inside the U.S. Senate take a more conservative track.” He said he saw Lugar not as his enemy but as his opponent over the last 15 months.

Lugar is the first long-serving senator who has lost in primary elections since Kenneth McKeller in 1952.

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