Indiana state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who is challenging long-time Sen Richard Lugar from the right in the Republican primary, has a new fundraising e-mail out, capitalizing off the recent flap over Lugar’s residency: that he lives mainly in northern Virginia, and has not owned a home in Indiana itself since 1977.
Lugar’s campaign has cited the Indiana Constitution, and the opinions of current and past state attorneys general, to show that Lugar did not legally lose his residency when he left for Washington to serve the state as its senator decades ago. However, they have also struggled with the appropriate political messaging — such as comparing this legal status to that of military service.
In his fundraising e-mail Mourdock taps into Tea Party ire at established politicians — by declaring that Lugar is violating the United States Constitution.
A quote from the fundraising e-mail, with emphasis in the original:
With your contribution today, we will take advantage of this scandal and defeat one of the Senate’s most liberal Republicans.
Fox News is reporting Sen. Lugar actually “lives in [a] Washington D.C. suburb” and “has no home in Indiana” … since 1977! – A clear violation of the U.S. Constitution‘s requirement that a Senator must be an “inhabitant” of their state.
Even more controversial, on Sen. Lugar’s rare visits back to Indiana, he has wasted $50,000 of YOUR (taxpayer) money on Indiana hotels because he has no place to stay.
This scandal is our chance to replace one of the most liberal Republicans in the Senate with a conservative! That’s why I’m emailing today seeking an urgent contribution to my campaign.
