Ousted GOP Sen. Richard Lugar gives $5000 to Democrat Senate hopeful Michelle Nunn in Georgia, Nunn press release thanks Sen. Lugar, notes support from other GOP donors

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Press release thanking Lugar. Lugar PAC.

1/7/14, "GOP senator ousted by Tea Party challenger donates to Democratic Senate hopeful in Georgia," Washington Examiner, Joel Gehrke

"Former Sen. Richard Lugar, a Republican, has given the maximum amount of money allowed under federal campaign finance laws to a candidate who hopes to help Democrats retain the Senate in the 2014 election.

Michelle Nunn used the $5,000 donation to appeal to conservative Georgia voters. "I am immensely honored and grateful for Senator Lugar's generous support in this race," she said. "Both in the Senate and in the international community, Senator Lugar's collaborative approach made us safer and moved our country forward. We need more leaders like Senator Lugar -- not less, and I will strive to follow this legacy in the U.S. Senate."

The Lugar-backed 19th Star PAC gave Nunn $5,000, the most that a PAC can give an individual candidate, the Huffington Post reported.

After 36 years, Lugar lost his Senate seat from Indiana in 2010 when State Treasurer Richard Mourdock defeated him in the Republican primary by arguing that he was too moderate.

“When Dick Lugar moved to Washington, he left behind more than his house. He left behind his conservative Hoosier values,” one Mourdock ad against Lugar told voters. “Lugar's been in Washington 36 years. That's too long. Time for a change.”

Mourdock's general election campaign foundered after he said, “I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that's something God intended to happen” during a debate. The seat is now held by Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly." via Free Rep.

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1/6/14, "Michelle Nunn Thanks Senator Richard Lugar for Supporting Her Campaign," michellenunn.com

"Over the past few months, a number of news outlets have detailed the broad and diverse coalition backing Nunn's campaign.  Bloomberg News and the Atlanta Business Chronicle both profiled Nunn’s support from top Republican donors and leaders in the Georgia business community.   

In December, the Washington Post noted that former Senator John R. Warner – a Republican – donated to her campaign in the fourth quarter.

Earlier today, Nunn announced she raised $3.3 million in her first five months in the race." 

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So much for the obsession with getting the Senate to Mitch McConnell:

3/16/12, "Kimberley Strassel vs.a Republican Majority," Daniel Horowitz, RedState

"In what’s become a biennial spectacle, supporters of unprincipled Republicans – who often vote with Democrats – are maligning conservatives as “purists” and accusing them of gambling away Republican control of the Senate. Today, Kimberley Strassel published a column in the WSJ, “Conservatives vs. a Senate Majority,” insinuating that Freedom Works and The Club for Growth are helping elect Democrats to the Senate. Specifically, she charges that conservatives opposing Lugar, Bruning, and Thompson will deny Mitch McConnell “the Senate majority leader’s office.”

There is one predominant point that is overlooked throughout Ms. Strassel’s column: it is the very insipid Republican candidates and senators that she supports who have helped the Democrats control the Senate – both in the minority and the majority.  It is the very people like McConnell, Lugar, and Thompson who have supported big government, and will continue to support big government in the majority....

The sad reality is that control of the Senate is worthless if less than 51 Republicans are willing to support basic Republican proposals and oppose fundamental Democrat big-government ideas. At present, Senate Republicans are capitulating on so many things that I’ve had to prioritize which issues to highlight for lack of space in these pages.  And I’m sorry, but if we’re forced to nominate a guy who still supports Eric Holder in a state like Nebraska, we should all call it quits. Ditto for Indiana. ...

I love how establishment Republicans talk so boldly about repealing Democrat bills and ideas, yet when the rubber meets the road, they capitulate and even lampoon conservatives for urging them to fulfill their promise. They did that on numerous occasions last year.  Repealing Obamacare through reconciliation is absolutely vital to preserving this country.  But it is also an extremely bold move that will require 51 members with intrepid courage.  Does anyone really believe that a bare majority of 50-52 Republicans, comprised of the current flaccid crop, along with a couple of new marginal Republicans, will be sufficient to orchestrate reconciliation?  There are already numerous Republican senators – not even the most moderate of the bunch – who have gone on record expressing reservations about full repeal.

In fact, it is for this very reason why we feel it is so important to elect conservatives who will fight for repeal of Obamacare with all their political capital."...




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