| |||||||||||||||||||||
Turnout | 58.5% [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Donnelly: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Mourdock: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Elections in Indiana |
---|
The 2012 United States Senate election in Indiana took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Richard Lugar ran for reelection to a seventh term, but was defeated in the primary by Tea Party-backed Richard Mourdock. U.S. Representative Joe Donnelly, a Democrat from Indiana's 2nd congressional district, was unopposed in his party's primary, and then defeated both Mourdock and Libertarian Andrew Horning in the general election.
As of 2024, this is the last time Democrats won any statewide election in Indiana, and the most recent Senate election in which an elected incumbent was defeated in the primary. [a] [2] This election is also the most recent time a party would flip a Senate seat in a presidential election year without carrying the state in the concurrent presidential election. [b] This is also the last time that a party flipped a Senate seat in a state that flipped against them in the simultaneous presidential election.
On November 7, 2006, incumbent Richard Lugar was unopposed by any major party candidate as no Democrat filed for the May 2006 primary. He was re-elected to his sixth six-year term with 87.3% of the vote. [3] After the 2012 election, Lugar would have had an even chance, according to Senate Republican Conference rules, to be elected as its president pro tempore. [4] However, the issue was rendered moot with Lugar's primary loss on May 9, 2012, as Indiana state law prohibits candidates from running for an election after losing a primary. Time featured the race in their "Fury of the Senate" article. The article mentioned how Donnelly was lucky that Mourdock won out in the primary against Lugar, a well-liked centrist member of the GOP. Another boost came when Mourdock's remarks regarding rape helped propel Donnelly to victory. [5]
The Republican primary was held on May 8, 2012.
Due to Lugar's unpopularity among some Tea Party voters because of his positions regarding illegal immigration, voting to confirm then-U.S. Supreme Court nominees Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, the DREAM Act, the New START Treaty, some gun control bills, and congressional earmarks, he was challenged by a Tea Party-backed candidate. [11] [12]
The Indiana Debate Commission's GOP primary debate with Sen. Richard Lugar and State Treasurer Richard Mourdock was set to air at 7 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 11. [13] In a widely published poll taken March 26 to 28, Lugar was still in the lead, but by the time of a second published poll from April 30 to May 1, Mourdock was leading 48% to 38%. [14]
Mourdock defeated Senator Lugar in the Republican primary on May 8, 2012. [15] [16]
According to Indiana law, Lugar's defeat meant that he would not be permitted to run in the election either as a third party or an independent candidate after he lost the primary. [17]
Individuals
Organizations
Individuals
Organizations
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Richard Mourdock | Richard Lugar | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basswood Research (R) [47] | July 23–24, 2011 | 500 | ±4.4% | 34% | 32% | 34% |
American Viewpoint (R) [48] | July 27–28, 2011 | 600 | ±4.0% | 31% | 45% | 23% |
Howey Politics/DePauw University [49] | March 26–28, 2012 | 503 | ±4.5% | 35% | 42% | 28% |
Howey Politics/DePauw University [50] | April 30 – May 1, 2012 | 700 | ±3.7% | 48% | 38% | 14% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Richard Mourdock | 400,321 | 60.5% | |
Republican | Richard Lugar (incumbent) | 261,285 | 39.5% | |
Total votes | 661,606 | 100.0% |
Donnelly was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Donnelly | 207,715 | 100.00% | |
Total votes | 207,715 | 100.00% |
Confirmed debates with Donnelly, Horning and Mourdock are: [56]
Date: Monday, October 15
Broadcast time: 7 p.m. EDT
City: Indianapolis
Venue: WFYI-TV (in studio/no live audience)
Date: Tuesday, October 23
Broadcast time: 7 p.m. EDT
City: New Albany
Venue: Paul W. Ogle Cultural & Community Center, Indiana University Southeast (live audience – seating up to 500)
Candidate (party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on hand | Debt |
---|---|---|---|---|
Joe Donnelly (D) | $5,572,319 | $5,496,760 | $95,578 | $0 |
Richard Mourdock (R) | $8,982,053 | $8,698,721 | $283,332 | $0 |
Andy Horning (L) | $4,907 | $2,905 | $2,005 | $0 |
Source: Federal Election Commission [57] |
Joe Donnelly | Contribution | Richard Mourdock | Contribution | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Faegre Baker Daniels | $30,942 | Club for Growth | $290,815 | |
MacAndrews & Forbes | $29,500 | Senate Conservatives Fund | $58,728 | |
Renco Group | $27,400 | Koch Industries | $30,000 | |
Barnes & Thornburg | $22,601 | Murray Energy | $15,000 | |
University of Notre Dame | $20,150 | Lucas Oil | $11,400 | |
MWH Global WPP plc | $17,000 | ESOP Association | $10,750 | |
Eli Lilly and Company | $16,912 | Blue Cross Blue Shield Association | $10,250 | |
Power, Rogers & Smith | $16,000 | American Bankers Association | $10,000 | |
Mid Manhattan PAC | $13,750 | ExxonMobil | $10,000 | |
Patton Boggs LLP | $13,083 | Citizens United | $10,000 | |
Source: OpenSecrets [58] |
Joe Donnelly | Contribution | Richard Mourdock | Contribution | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lawyers/law firms | $463,098 | Republican/Conservative PACs | $474,661 | |
Leadership PACs | $298,000 | Leadership PACs | $305,607 | |
Retired | $192,716 | Retired | $244,206 | |
Lobbyists | $109,987 | Oil & gas | $132,530 | |
Building trade unions | $77,000 | Financial institutions | $90,200 | |
Financial institutions | $100,235 | Commercial banks | $88,430 | |
Education | $91,563 | Health professionals | $86,567 | |
Building trade unions | $63,500 | Misc. finance | $64,815 | |
Public sector unions | $87,000 | Manufacturing industry | $60,200 | |
Political action committees | $63,798 | Real estate | $58,290 | |
Source: OpenSecrets [59] |
Mourdock became embroiled in a controversy after stating that pregnancy from rape is "something that God intended". His remarks were made during a debate on October 23, 2012, while explaining his opposition to abortion even in the case of rape. At the debate Mourdock, when asked what his position on abortion was, responded:
I know there are some who disagree and I respect their point of view but I believe that life begins at conception. The only exception I have to have an abortion is in that case of the life of the mother. I just struggled with it myself for a long time but I came to realize: "Life is that gift from God that I think even if life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen". [60]
Media speculated that this could affect the outcome of the Senate race and Presidential race [61] and multiple sources noted the similarities with the rape and pregnancy statement controversies in the 2012 United States elections. [62] [63]
Responding to the criticism, Mourdock issued a statement saying: "God creates life, and that was my point. God does not want rape, and by no means was I suggesting that he does. Rape is a horrible thing, and for anyone to twist my words otherwise is absurd and sick." [64] He was later quoted at a press conference also saying: "I believe God controls the universe. I don't believe biology works in an uncontrolled fashion." [65] He however refused to issue an apology, even while prominent Republicans, including Sen. John McCain, called for him to do so. [66]
A day before the controversy started, a television ad began airing that showed Governor Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee for United States President, supporting Mourdock. [67] The Romney campaign subsequently issued a statement saying "Gov. Romney disagrees with Richard Mourdock's comments, and they do not reflect his views," but did not pull the ad. Senator John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said "Richard and I, along with millions of Americans—including even Joe Donnelly—believe that life is a gift from God. To try and construe his words as anything other than a restatement of that belief is irresponsible and ridiculous". [68] [69]
Many public Republicans called for Mourdock to apologize for the statement. Sen. John McCain called for him to issue an apology and his support "depends on what he does." [66] Senator Scott Brown refused to state that he supported Mourdock in the election. [70] Rep. Mike Pence, a Republican running for governor of Indiana concurrent to Mourdock's senatorial campaign, urged Mourdock to apologize. "I strongly disagree with the statement made by Richard Mourdock during last night's Senate debate," he said in a statement. "I urge him to apologize." [71]
President Obama stated, "Rape is rape. It is a crime," on the Tonight Show . He continued, "These various distinctions about rape don't make too much sense to me." [72] Dan Parker, chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, immediately criticized Mourdock, saying: "I'm stunned and ashamed that Richard Mourdock believes God intended rape", and claimed that he is an "extremist" who is out of touch with Indiana. [60]
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report [73] | Tossup | November 1, 2012 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball [74] | Lean D (flip) | November 5, 2012 |
Rothenberg Political Report [75] | Tilt D (flip) | November 2, 2012 |
Real Clear Politics [76] | Tossup | November 5, 2012 |
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Richard Mourdock (R) | Joe Donnelly (D) | Andrew Horning (L) | Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Howey Politics/DePauw University [77] | March 26–28, 2012 | 503 | ± 4.4% | 35% | 35% | 7% | — | 23% |
Rasmussen Reports [78] | May 23–24, 2012 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 42% | 42% | — | 2% | 14% |
Rasmussen Reports [79] | July 31 – August 1, 2012 | 400 | ± 5.0% | 42% | 40% | — | 3% | 15% |
Market Research Insight [80] | August 6–9, 2012 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 41% | 39% | 3% | — | 17% |
Howey Politics/DePauw University [81] | September 19–23, 2012 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 38% | 40% | 7% | — | 8% |
Rasmussen Reports [82] | October 10–11, 2012 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 47% | 42% | — | 2% | 8% |
Pharos Research [83] | October 19–21, 2012 | 754 | ± 3.6% | 46% | 46% | — | — | 8% |
Howey Politics/DePauw University [84] | October 28–30, 2012 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 36% | 47% | 6% | — | 11% |
Rasmussen Reports [82] | November 1, 2012 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 42% | 45% | 6% | — | 6% |
with Richard Lugar
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Richard Lugar (R) | Joe Donnelly (D) | Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Howey Politics/DePauw University [77] | March 26–28, 2012 | 503 | ± 4.4% | 50% | 29% | — | 21% |
On election night, Donnelly won by about six percent. Donnelly performed well in Marion County, home of Indianapolis. Donnelly also won areas with major college campuses, such as Indiana University in Bloomington and Purdue University in Lafayette. Mourdock performed well as expected in the Indianapolis suburbs, such as Hamilton County. Mourdock conceded defeat to Donnelly at around 11:30 p.m. EST.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Donnelly | 1,281,181 | 50.04% | N/A | |
Republican | Richard Mourdock | 1,133,621 | 44.28% | −43.08% | |
Libertarian | Andy Horning | 145,282 | 5.68% | −6.91% | |
Write-in | 18 | 0.00% | -0.06% | ||
Total votes | 2,560,102 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
Democratic gain from Republican |
Donnelly won five of nine congressional districts, including three held by Republicans. [86]
District | Donnelly | Mourdock | Representative |
---|---|---|---|
1st | 66.31% | 30.99% | Pete Visclosky |
2nd | 49.94% | 45.42% | Joe Donnelly (112th Congress) |
Jackie Walorski (113th Congress) | |||
3rd | 40.47% | 53.96% | Marlin Stutzman |
4th | 43.56% | 49.03% | Todd Rokita |
5th | 47.36% | 46.18% | Dan Burton (112th Congress) |
Susan Brooks (113th Congress) | |||
6th | 43.68% | 48.93% | Mike Pence (112th Congress) |
Luke Messer (113th Congress) | |||
7th | 66.03% | 28.00% | André Carson |
8th | 47.74% | 46.84% | Larry Bucshon |
9th | 46.81% | 47.20% | Todd Young |
Richard Green Lugar was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Indiana from 1977 to 2013. He was a member of the Republican Party.
Joseph Simon Donnelly Sr. is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2013 and as a U.S. Senator from 2013 to 2019. A Democrat from Indiana, he later served as the United States Ambassador to the Holy See from 2022 to 2024 under President Joe Biden.
The 2012 United States Senate elections were held on November 6, 2012, with 33 of the 100 seats in the Senate, all Class 1 seats, being contested in regular elections whose winners would serve 6-year terms beginning January 3, 2013, with the 113th Congress. Democrats had 21 seats up for election, plus 1 Independent, and 1 Independent Democrat, while the Republicans only had 10 seats up for election. The presidential election, elections to the House of Representatives, elections for governors in 14 states and territories, and many state and local elections were also held on the same day.
Richard Earl Mourdock is an American politician who served as treasurer of the state of Indiana from 2007 to 2014. Running with the support of the Tea Party movement, he defeated six-term incumbent U.S. Senator Richard Lugar in the May 2012 Republican primary election for U.S. Senate. He lost the November 6, 2012 general election for Lugar's seat to Democratic congressman Joe Donnelly.
Indiana is one of fifty U.S. states. The state is considered a stronghold for the Republican Party and is rated R+11 on the Cook Partisan Voting Index. The state has supported the Republican candidate in every presidential election since 2012. Republicans also currently hold supermajorities in both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly and have dominated the governorship since 2005. Indiana was once a swing state in the 19th century and early 20th century, voting for the national winner from 1852 to 1912, with the exception of 1876.
The 2010 United States Senate election in Indiana took place on November 2, 2010, alongside 33 other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections to fill Indiana's class III United States Senate seat. Incumbent Democratic Senator Evan Bayh decided in February 2010 to retire instead of seeking a third term shortly after Dan Coats announced his candidacy. Bayh's announcement came one day before the filing deadline and no Democratic candidate submitted enough signatures by the deadline to run, so the State Democratic Party chose U.S. Congressman Brad Ellsworth as their nominee. The Libertarian Party nominated YMCA instructor Rebecca Sink-Burris, who had previously unsuccessfully run for this seat in 1998. Coats won the open seat, having previously held it from 1989 to 1999. Bayh later unsuccessfully ran for this seat again in 2016.
The 2012 United States elections took place on November 6, 2012. Democratic President Barack Obama won reelection to a second term and the Democrats gained seats in both chambers of Congress, retaining control of the Senate even though the Republican Party retained control of the House of Representatives. As of 2024, this is the most recent election cycle in which neither the presidency nor a chamber of Congress changed partisan control, and the last time that the party that won the presidency simultaneously gained seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The Tea Party Express is a California-based group founded in the summer of 2009 to support the Tea Party movement. Founded as a national bus tour to rally Tea Party activists, the group's leadership also endorses and promotes conservative candidates running for state and federal offices. It was founded as a project of the political action committee Our Country Deserves Better PAC by Republican party members Howard Kaloogian and Sal Russo.
The 2012 United States Senate election in Missouri was held on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 presidential election, other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Elections were held in Indiana on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Primary elections were held on May 4, 2010.
The 2012 United States Senate election in Virginia took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jim Webb retired instead of running for reelection to a second term, and former Democratic governor of Virginia Tim Kaine won the open seat over Republican former senator and governor George Allen. Kaine was unopposed for the Democratic nomination, and the Republicans nominated Allen through a primary on June 12, 2012. Allen had previously held this seat for one term before narrowly losing reelection to Webb in 2006.
The 2012 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on November 6, 2012, alongside a presidential election, other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr. ran for and won re-election to a second term, defeating Republican nominee Tom Smith, and Libertarian nominee Rayburn Smith.
The 2012 United States Senate election in Wisconsin took place on November 6, 2012, alongside a U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Herb Kohl retired instead of running for re-election to a fifth term. This was the first open Senate seat in Wisconsin since 1988, when Kohl won his first term.
During the 2012 United States election cycle, in federal and state elections, a series of controversies arose as a result of statements by Republican Party candidates about rape, pregnancy, contraception, abortion, and related topics. The first and most widely covered controversy concerned Republican U.S. Senate candidate Representative Todd Akin of Missouri, who stated that pregnancy rarely occurs as a result of what he called "legitimate rape". Medical experts said Akin's statement is false, and many women's rights groups found the phrase "legitimate rape" demeaning. Akin's comments had a far-reaching political impact, changing the focus of political campaigns across the country to the War on Women. Akin was eventually denounced by politicians in both the Republican and Democratic parties, most prominently by presidential candidate Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama; he lost the election on November 6 to Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill.
The 2016 United States Senate election in Indiana was held on November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Indiana. The election was held alongside the presidential election and 2016 Indiana elections.
The Tea Party movement, founded in 2009, is an American political movement that advocates strict adherence to the United States Constitution, reducing U.S. government spending and taxes, and reduction of the U.S. national debt and federal budget deficit.
The 2018 United States Senate election in Indiana took place on November 6, 2018, along with other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly lost re-election to a second term to Republican Mike Braun by a 6% margin. This was the second consecutive election for this seat where the incumbent was defeated and/or the seat flipped parties.
The 2020 Indiana gubernatorial election was won by incumbent Republican Eric Holcomb on November 3, 2020. The election was held concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2024 United States Senate election in Indiana was held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Indiana. Republican congressman Jim Banks was elected to his first term, defeating Democratic psychologist Valerie McCray in the general election. Banks will succeed Republican incumbent Mike Braun, who opted instead to run for governor. This was the first election for this seat in which there was no incumbent running since 1958.
The 2010 Indiana State Treasurer election was held in on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, as part of the 2010 Indiana elections, held during the 2010 midterms.
Official campaign websites