Richard Mourdock in 2012 Indiana Senate Debates
On Abortion:
God at work when rape leads to pregnancy
Mourdock says when a woman is impregnated during a rape, "it's something God intended." Mourdock was asked Tuesday during the final minutes of a debate whether abortion should be allowed in cases of rape or incest.He replied: "I think even when life
begins in that horrible situation of rape, that's something God intended to happen."
In response to Mourdock's comment, Democratic candidate Joe Donnelly said after the debate that he doesn't believe "my God, or any God, would intend that to happen."
Source: Associated Press on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 23, 2012
On Education:
Transfer federal education role to state & local level
Mourdock favors abolishing the U.S. Department of Education and transferring its responsibilities to the state and local levels. "Instead of sending
Hoosier money to Washington, I think we ought to be keeping that money and as always, letting schools be run at the local level and at the state level," he said.
Donnelly touted his support for funding Pell Grants for low-income students, as well as a measure that kept student loan interest rates at 3.4 percent rather than 6.8 percent.
Donnelly opposed eliminating the Education Department. "Our ability to compete as a state, our ability to compete as a country, depends on our education level," he said.
Source: Evansville Courier & Press on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 15, 2012
On Health Care:
ObamaCare makes government bigger
To Donnelly, currently a member of Congress, Mourdock is "an unapologetic leader of the Tea party movement" who put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk when he challenged the Chrysler bankruptcy settlement.To Mourdock, currently state treasurer,
Donnelly is a supporter of President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who voted to make government bigger by supporting ObamaCare.
Mourdock defeated veteran Sen. Richard Lugar in the GOP primary by arguing that
Lugar had compromised too often on too many issues and was no longer representing the conservative values of Hoosier voters. Donnelly repeatedly made a pitch to those so-called "Lugar Republicans."
Mourdock mentioned Obama and
Reid at every opportunity. With Obama not expected to repeat his 2008 feat of being the first Democrat to carry Indiana since Lyndon Johnson did so in 1964, Mourdock is hoping Obama's unpopularity here will translate to votes for him.
Source: Indianapolis Star on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 15, 2012
On Social Security:
Constitution mentions neither Social Security nor Medicare
Mourdock, answering a question about the proper role of government, accused Donnelly of misstating his views on Social Security and Medicare. Mourdock said the constitution does not mention either, but
Donnelly has used that in an ad "to make it sound like I believe the idea of Social Security is unconstitutional and, Joe, you know I've never said that."Donnelly fired back, saying: "You know, I may have been born at night, but
I wasn't born last night. When you meet with the Madison Tea Party and you say to them 'you show me where in the constitution it allows
Medicare and you show me where in the constitution it allows Social Security,' we're not that dumb. We know what you were implying and we know what you were driving at."
Source: Indianapolis Star on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 15, 2012
On Tax Reform:
Major tax reforms yes; national sales tax no
Mourdock predicted major tax reforms in Congress, but said he would not support a national sales tax to replace other taxes. He said he supports lower taxes and criticized Donnelly for opposing the elimination of the federal inheritance tax.
Donnelly said he wants to see corporate income tax rates lowered from 35 percent to 25 percent. He said he supports eliminating the inheritance tax, but only once the nation's fiscal picture is improved.
Source: Evansville Courier & Press on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 15, 2012
On Technology:
Space program is not in Constitution, but I support it
They grappled over the treasurer's April 2011 speech to a Madison, Ind. tea party group in which he said programs such as Medicare and Social Security are not included in the U.S. Constitution.
Mourdock insisted that he wasn't suggesting those programs should therefore be eliminated. After all, he said, neither the space program nor the Federal Bureau of Investigation are in the constitution, either, but he supports them.
Source: Evansville Courier & Press on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 15, 2012
On Abortion:
Government should not have a role in reproductive services
Lugar, the six-term incumbent, said the federal government should not have a role in reproductive services. "I think I'll do a ditto," said Mourdock, the second-term state treasurer.In his closing comments, Mourdock said, "As you've heard
tonight, we have differences." Not many. Unlike the almost daily accusations and rebuttals between their campaigns, Mourdock and Lugar were mostly on the same page during their only debate in advance of the May 8 Republican primary election.
Source: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 12, 2012
On Energy & Oil:
Oppose ethanol subsidy as a matter of conservative principle
Mourdock leveled the provocative charge that Lugar's ethanol policies are driving up prices at the pump, now at $3.85 a gallon in the state. "Most of us, especially as Republicans, object to mandates from the federal government," Mourdock said. "And yet
suddenly we saw more ethanol being mandated into our gasoline."Just a few years ago, Mourdock's stance would have been heresy for a candidate in a farm state. Even though the state actually farms more acres of soybeans these days, corn has long been
integral to Indiana's self-image. Gov. Mitch Daniels and the candidates for governor are generally supportive of ethanol. Lugar, himself a farmer, has long taken the stance that what's good for corn is good for the state. But that argument has less
and less support from Republicans these days. The industry, meanwhile, believes it is finally becoming competitive on its own terms. Mourdock, who has been endorsed by the Tea Party Express, outlines his stance as a matter of conservative principle.
Source: Huffington Post on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 12, 2012
On Energy & Oil:
Ethanol mandates lead to high gas prices
Mourdock was strong and focused when it came to economic issues. He criticized the Obama administration on several occasions. Federal regulations, including one mandating the use of corn-based ethanol, he said, have led to high gas prices, he said.
He also advocated for more domestic oil drilling. Lugar countered that the ethanol requirement helps state corn farmers, and said that gas prices are decreasing thanks to a relative calming of Middle East tensions.
Source: RealClearPoitics.com coverage of 2012 Indiana Senate debates
Apr 12, 2012
On Families & Children:
Government should play no role reproductive health services
When asked how to best provide reproductive health services,
Lugar said government should not play any role. Mourdock agreed.
Source: RealClearPoitics.com coverage of 2012 Indiana Senate debates
Apr 12, 2012
On Foreign Policy:
Russia is more foe than friend
Mourdock took a harder line than Lugar on Russia, saying the country is "more foe than friend" after Lugar said the country was neither. And Mourdock suggested Lugar didn't understand the meaning of "fungible" when
the senator pushed back against Mourdock's assertion that U.S. funds to Russia are reaching potential enemies.
Source: ABC News coverage of 2012 Indiana Senate debates
Apr 12, 2012
On Foreign Policy:
Russia is more foe than friend; they aid our enemies
Mourdock and Lugar differed in their responses to a question on whether Russia is a U.S. friend or foe. "Russia is neither friend nor foe; it is an important country with whom we have to deal," Lugar said. "I'd say we have come a long way since the
Cold War." Lugar, ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Russia remains "an authoritarian government" and that the U.S. should employ "very strong diplomacy" with its leaders while working with
Russian dissidents to advance democracy and human rights."I think they are more foe than friend," Mourdock said, accusing Russia of aiding the governments of Iran and Syria and continuing to occupy former Soviet satellite Georgia.
Lugar said Mourdock was wrong to suggest Russia is diverting funds from the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty to help anti-American regimes in the Mideast.
Source: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 12, 2012
On Government Reform:
Eliminate cabinet departments DOE, ED, DOC, and HUD
Asked what could be done to cut the $15 trillion federal debt, Lugar, 80, urged the passage of the "remarkable" House budget plan and the extension of Bush-era tax cuts.
Mourdock, 60, called for the elimination of the Energy, Education, Commerce and Housing and Urban Development departments.
Source: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 12, 2012
On Health Care:
Tax-deductible health savings accounts for those under 55
Both Lugar and Mourdock called for repealing President Obama's health care law. Mourdock said he favors turning Medicaid, the federal-state health care program for the poor, into block grants for states and freezing its spending for 10 years.
Medicare, the health insurance plan for older Americans, should be offered to those younger than 55 as tax-deductible health savings accounts, Mourdock said, and health insurance providers should be allowed to operate across state lines.
Source: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 12, 2012
On Immigration:
No Social Security benefits to illegal immigrants
About the only time either candidate got testy was after Mourdock claimed Lugar voted to give Social Security benefits to illegal immigrants, an apparent reference to the DREAM Act, legislation that would have provided a
route to citizenship to children of illegal immigrants. "That is unfair," Lugar responded, denying he had cast such votes. Lugar did support the DREAM Act.
Source: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 12, 2012
On Jobs:
Focus on cutting the deficit and creating jobs
Mourdock introduced himself to voters as an articulate businessman--but a reluctant politician--focused on cutting the deficit and creating jobs.Lugar characterized himself as a loyal and knowledgeable public servant. Lugar revealed his vulnerability
in an election season that hasn't been all that friendly to incumbents.
Analysts watching this race portray it as a referendum on the incumbent and a call for a fresh GOP face in the upper chamber.
Source: RealClearPoitics.com coverage of 2012 Indiana Senate debates
Apr 12, 2012
On War & Peace:
Inexcusable failure to withdraw from Iraq
Asked about prospects for reducing the U.S. military's presence abroad, Mourdock decried an "inexcusable foreign policy failure in our withdrawal from Iraq" and said the Obama administration "cannot lead from behind."
Saying the U.S. is not going to have troops in Afghanistan "indefinitely," Lugar favored efforts to fortify U.S. military strength in Asia and using intelligence resources "more skillfully."
Source: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 12, 2012
On War & Peace:
inexcusable failure to turn tail & run in Iraq
Lugar frequently touted his nuclear nonproliferation program, co-authored 20 years ago with then-Sen. Sam Nunn (a Democrat), while Mourdock admitted that, as a state office holder, he did not have the same "access"
to that kind of information. Mourdock called the withdrawal of troops from Iraq an "inexcusable foreign policy failure," arguing "we cannot turn tail and run."
Source: RealClearPoitics.com coverage of 2012 Indiana Senate debates
Apr 12, 2012
On Energy & Oil:
High gas prices come from federal mandates like ethanol
When Mourdock blamed high gas prices on government regulation and an ethanol mandate that Lugar supported, the Senator fired back. "Ethanol makes the overall prices go down and furthermore, it's a Hoosier product with
Hoosier's producing it on farms that meant higher values for corn and higher land values for this state," said Lugar.
Source: 14 News WFIE Evansville on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 11, 2012
On Social Security:
Raise the retirement age
When it came to financial issues here at home, including social security reform,
Mourdock spoke from experience on both the state and local level saying the retirement age needs to be raised. Lugar agreed saying the program needs to be reformed.
Source: 14 News WFIE Evansville on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 11, 2012
Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018