Senator Richard Lugar is being challenged in Indiana's GOP primary by Richard Mourdock. Polls say if Mr. Lugar gets the nod, he's a shoo-in to win, while Mr. Mourdock's chances are close to even. In both cases, that's against Democrat Joseph Donnelly.
So if you're going for the quick and easy answer, it's a no-brainer, right? Vote LP in the Fall and let the incumbent Mr. Lugar return, or go with the trend and vote for him yourself, starting with the primary.
Yeah, no. You see, Senator Lugar is unique among Republicans with an "F" rating from the NRA; he rolled right over for the President's Supreme Court picks. On the other hand, Mr. Mourdock and Mr. Donnelly* both enjoy NRA "A" ratings. It appears to me that either man would be a better pick than Richard-doesn't-live-here-any-more Lugar.
Makes me wonder what other primary contests need a closer look before thinking about voting.
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* I'm not sayin' his party won't try'n get him more in line, but his history in the House is instructive: "Donnelly also helped to restore self-defense rights in our nation’s capital by cosponsoring and voting for the D.C. Personal Protection Act and the Second Amendment Enforcement Act. He sent a signed letter to Attorney General Eric Holder stating his opposition to reinstating the failed bans on semi-automatic firearms and ammunition magazines. And he signed two pro-gun congressional amicus briefs to the Supreme Court, supporting the individual right to keep and bear arms in the Heller case and arguing that the Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental right that protects all Americans in the McDonald case."
In the ugly '70s Lugar was called "Richard Nixon's favorite mayor." I don't suppose it's really sharp political analysis, but it has always enough for me to think of him as a fraud.
ReplyDeleteLugar needs to go. We have one here in Iowa that's just as bad. He was in charge of the Ag committee and all of the farmers voted for him. Now that he's off of that maybe we can get rid of him.
ReplyDeleteI'd vote for a D with that record. Friends of gun owners always get my vote. My own Rep is a friend of gun owners and he's a D. He even made the news for being home invaded and his Grandson used a gun to run the miscreant off.
As an NRA Life Member, I'm as sympathetic as anyone to positions on gun control, but I also know that single issue voting is plain foolish. This isn't about an individual, it is about the mechanism of legislation in the Senate. The goal is a majority and ideally a filibuster proof majority. If Donnelly's A rating on NRA issues is more important than over-turning Obamacare, making economic sense, cutting spending, reducing welfare, restoring America's defense, etc. then go for it. Whatever suits your agenda.
ReplyDeleteEd,
ReplyDeleteOne Question: You'd vote for Lugar over Donnelly?
Did Lugar get his "residency" problem straightened out, or am I thinking of of someone else?
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a situation in which it would be preferable to have to choose between Mourdock/Donnelly/LP-candidate in the fall.
ReplyDeleteThe odds for this are highest if Lugar gets kicked out in the primary.
Thus, I would recommend voting for Mourdock in the primary, and whoever you like most in the Fall election.
This may actually get me to pay attention to my NRA-PVF mail. I don't know if I can kick into the specific fund for NRA's support of Mourdock, but I've been getting snail-mail-spam from them for months on end. And I may examine this, plus a few other State-level campaigns, to see which ones I would like to donate directly to.
"If Donnelly's A rating on NRA issues is more important than over-turning Obamacare, making economic sense, cutting spending, reducing welfare, restoring America's defense, etc. then go for it."
ReplyDeleteAll of which Lugar was present for and managed to do dick about when he wasn't outrightly cheerleading for them.
I would vote for any Republican over any Democrat. I must. I believe in capitalism, free markets, consequences of actions, low taxes, strong defense, et. al. I don't like Lugar. I don't like Snowe and Collins. I'm not crazy about Hatch. And in Texas I'm ecstatic that Hutchison is retiring. But I'll vote for any Republican over any Democrat. I'm sympathetic to your problem with Lugar, but this is a much bigger game.
ReplyDeleteEd,
ReplyDeleteThen who's the single-issue voter, here?
This guy's on the other side of the fence from you on practically every issue. He'll cross the aisle faster than a creepy in-law at a wedding. He's repeatedly sold you out, and so you'll reward him with your vote?
Hell, Ed, if you're gonna vote for a Democrat, at least vote for the honest one.
As far as I can tell Donnelly would vote my way far more often than Lugar would. Lugar's done jack-all for me in spite of being a Republican. Donnelly's done well for me (I'm in his district) in spite of being a Democrat.
ReplyDeleteIf your goal is only to keep Republicans in the Senate (and maybe keep the farm pork flowing), vote for Lugar, but if your goal is to get bad legislation repealed, and the cause of freedom advanced, don't vote for Lugar.
Every House and Senate race deserves a really close look. The critical is is and has been how the candidate votes, not what they say.
ReplyDeleteOntheissues.org will tell you how every incumbent and many challengers voted. And that is the key to sorting the RINOS from the Republicans. And in some cases separating the DINOS from the Democratic Socialists.
Lugar? He's a good match for the Socialist Rep upstate from me.
Stranger