TERRE HAUTE —
Terre Haute has been Grand Central Station this week for politicians battling for seats in the U.S. Congress.
U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, a Republican, was in the city Sunday speaking to supporters at the Grand Traverse Pie Company. Lugar, a six-term senator, is up for re-election this year and is facing a primary challenge from Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who will be at the Country Club of Terre Haute today for a reception and fund raiser.
On the Democratic side of the U.S. senate race, Joe Donnelly, a South Bend Democrat, was in Terre Haute on Tuesday morning speaking at Boo’s Crossroads Cafe downtown. Donnelly, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, is unopposed in his party’s May senate primary.
In the 8th District U.S. House race, incumbent Rep. Larry Bucshon, an Evansville Republican, was at the Meadows Banquet Center in Terre Haute on Tuesday afternoon. The freshman congressman was launching his campaign for re-election.
He is facing a primary challenge from Kristi Risk, an Owen County Republican who narrowly lost to Bucshon in the 2010 primary. Risk, who has the backing of Tea Party Republicans, will be speaking to the Crossroads of America Exchange Club at the Canopy Club at the Quality Inn in Terre Haute at noon Thursday.
Having candidates converge on Terre Haute is understandable because it is an important media market, said Matthew Bergbower, assistant professor of political science at Indiana State University. It also makes sense that the incumbents would return home during the President’s Day weekend since Congress is out of session for the holiday, he said.
“I’m sure they went to numerous places” in addition to Terre Haute, Bergbower said. However, in the bigger media markets, even if a large number of supporters do not show up to greet them, TV and newspaper reporters will, allowing them to reach a lot more voters, he said. “They like that just as much.”
Lugar, who started his career in the senate in 1977, is facing his most difficult primary campaign in decades. Mourdock is gaining support from Tea Party groups and has been attacking Lugar for being too close to President Obama. That’s probably why Lugar, in his comments Sunday in Terre Haute, was critical of many of Obama’s policies, Bergbower said.
Bucshon may also be facing a tough primary challenge. In 2010, Bucshon won 33 percent of the votes in a eight-way Republican primary. Risk placed second with 29 percent of the vote.
Bergbower, who worked in the Illinois governor’s office in Springfield before coming to ISU, said he believes Lugar and Bucshon will each win their primaries. But, if the races become close, the incumbents will have to decide whether to remain in Washington this spring or return home to campaign more heavily. “That’s a tough decision,” he said.
Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
News
Related Photos
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Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Still running: Larry Buschon announced Tuesday that he will seek re-election as representative of the Indiana�s 8th congressional district.
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Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza Listening to voters: Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, Joe Donnelly, center, listens as David Hartmann, left, talks about farming during a campaign stop Tuesday morning at Boo's Crossroads Cafe.
Discussion
ANALYSIS: Terre Haute the crossroads of Indiana political universe
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