Richard Mourdock Loses Senate Race After Controversial Rape Comments

Richard Mourdock shot into national attention when the Indiana Senate candidate said that if a woman becomes pregnant after being raped it was “something that God intended to happen,” and, on Election Day, voters decided to send him and his controversial comments packing.

The Republican lost his race Tuesday to Democrat Joe Donnelly in a race greatly needed by the GOP in its attempt to take control of the Senate. Richard Mourdock had knocked off popular GOP Senator Richard Lugar, whom he beat in a primary thanks in large part to Tea Party support.

As The New York Times notes, Donnelly is now the first Democrat in more than 10 years to win a statewide race in Indiana.

Political experts believe it was Richard Mourdock’s rape comments that did him in.

“The rape comment was the confirmation in the race, not the game changer,” said Daniel J. Parker, the chairman of the state Democratic Party, arguing that the remark showed Mourdock as radical.

Lugar had been a centrist Senator since first being elected in 1976, and Richard Mourdock was never able to gain support of moderate Republicans.

“There were Lugar Republicans who were reluctant to vote for him,” Mr. Parker said.

Mourdock was also hurt when Lugar declined to help his campaign or endorse him, the Washington Post noted.

Still, Donnelly’s win is seen as quite an upset in Indiana.

“For a Democrat to win in Indiana, you have to catch a couple of breaks, but you also have to run a flawless campaign,” Parker. “Richard Mourdock brought all of this on himself.”