Mitt Romney will stay neutral in the Indiana Senate primary, one of the biggest battles in 2012 between establishment Republicans and the insurgent, conservative wing of the GOP.
A Romney campaign official said Friday that the former Massachusetts governor has no plans to endorse either six-term Sen. Richard Lugar, or his challenger, state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, in the May 8 primary.
MSNBC.com's Tom Curry writes Friday of the upcoming showdown:
As Lugar struggles to fend off Mourdock’s challenge, Democrats hope their candidate, Rep. Joe Donnelly, will profit from the GOP schism and pick up the incumbent’s seat in November.
That schism, between the party's establishment and conservative wing, is on full display in Indiana. Tea Party groups like FreedomWorks have backed Mourdock, as did the fiscally conservative Club for Growth.
But Republicans like Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels have endorsed Lugar, setting up a proxy fight between the two wings of the GOP in a couple of weeks.
Romney has generally steered clear of involvement in Senate primaries this cycle as he had focused on winning his own presidential primary. However, he backed Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch -- another veteran Republican targeted by the GOP's Tea Party wing -- against conservative challengers in this primary season.
Democrats have also complained about the neutrality of Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, a recognized conservative who's seeking the Hoosier State's governorship, in the primary.


Lugar has 3 to 5 times as many TV ads in rural parts of Indiana (All very negative). It may be the outcome will be determined in Indianapolis. Lugar has not owned a home in Indiana for 24 years. Due to Lugar's influence the election commission has allowed land ownership as a substitute for residency.
Well, thank heavens Willard is laser focused on this.
Otherwise, he might have to outline what his policies are & why he should be elected...
Now isn't he the right little chicken sh!t, typical waffler. Stand for something Mitt, good God man is there a backbone in you?
Ha I'm surprised Mitt Romney did not operate as he usualy does and endorse both candidates at the same time.
Friends don't let friends vote republican.
Oh no, Bishop Romney is not giving his blessing to anyone!!! My God, oops should not say that what will happen next.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Is that a Yellow streak down Romney's back?
Oh...and by the way...didja ever get back to us as to whether your were for or against the Lily Ledbetter act? Or are ya still flippin' to decide?
I do not appreciate negative campaigning by any candidate. Grandma always used to say that if you can't say something nice, then say nothing at all. I have found that many times, I will select a candidate who didn't sling mud all over the place over the glitz of ads and TV spots, which is a massive waste of money that could be applied to so many better purposes. Thanks to Sesame Street, we now have a world of adults who get all their information in 30-60 second sound bytes and never look any more closely than who has the flashiest presentation, the catchiest theme music, the best done hair and clothing.....we have cheapened our entire political process by catering to the least common denominator
Yeah it's Sesame Street's fault, not the parents who used the tube as a baby sitter day in and day out all the while the kids grew up.
Oh good grief. Now they are back to blaming Sesame Street. Again. "Thanks to Sesame Street......" I never used the tube as a babysitter, but my kids did learn their numbers and letters by three years old. And oh, by the way, neither one turned out to be a homosexual (remember that conspiracy theory?).
Was it Bert or Ernie that was gay, I know it was not Oscar because his house was to messy.
Decisions, decisions, Willard's head is exploding! "Who am I for or who am I against" Romoney ponders and trembles. "If you only had a brain" cries Ann the fully staffed Mommy. Just another edition of "As my churns" brought to by Peptobismal.
Gingerbread Mamma
Spongemitt Romneypants
Time for some fresh new leadership in Washington.
Thanks for your long dedicated service, Sen Lugar. But we need conservatives to shake up the mess in Washington.
This seat will remain in Republican hands, no matter who wins the primary.
Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina will never repeat their voting mistakes of 2008.
The BIGGEST mistake Virginia made was electing VP Bob. Oh well, thank God for Northern Virginia.
I believe that is for the people of Indiana to decide.
Rob in MA,
What's up with the new account?
Were you evicted from the old one?
Usually happens when you continue to violate the COH with comment spamming & advertising! ;o)
V-Bob - Obama's gonna win Virginia. I repeat, Obama's gonna win Virginia. The fun part will be watching your head explode when it happens. LOL!
Word to conservatives be very careful they like to censor conservative voices around these parts again from what I'm told by my cousin.
Rob and Robert in mass.- The Kissin Cousin's sound a little paranoid :)
The silver lining is, this new & improved Rob will not be able to post his bogus links!
Like the one the other night where he frantically tried to claim President Obama was booed at Fenway Park! lol
So, Rob is Robert. Two nuts in one. How special.
Sit tight re-reg Rob - the clock is ticking... lol
Sorry Robbie - liberals play by the rules which is a foreign concept to the right...
If you can beat the system - cheat it... eh?
is that a two/tea bag (not so) special?
[Time for some fresh new leadership in Washington]
VaginalProbe bOb...FYI...vaginal probes like Lugar are dinosaurs that don't know they are extinct yet...YET...
Moocher Raab! Tick tock, RAAB...
Bob in Virginia-5210392
LMAO...."Conesrvatives are who MADE the mess,Bobby...You crack me up...Is this satire?? How's Mickey doing on probing all the pregnant women back in Va.??Why don't you want to talk about your boy's initiative?
Romney has generally steered clear of involvement in Senate primaries this cycle as he had focused on winning his own presidential primaries???
Ummm, who was Gov Scott Walker? Willard was fascinated over Paul Ryan budget. He called it marvelous.
Scott Walker is gonig to be recalled since he lied. Worst, his lies have cost him to have the lowest job creation in the nation.
But, you won't hear that on FOX and seemingly here either.
Bev, Scott Walker is a governor, not a senator.
Seems like the 'snake is eating it's own tail'. Too Funny.
Willard will wait to see which candidate the polls tell him to support.
TeaPeople groups, ha!....Call them what they are: a few low-information voters paid for/financed by FreedomWorks and Club For Growth!
Hurrah for Citizens United!
Not only is Obama staying neutral- he's completely ignoring North Carolina's Amendment One- which would make not just gay marriage, but Civil Unions illegal.
What's up with that? Is Obama homophobic? Given the fact that he is also ignoring an EO that is sitting on his desk that would make it illegal for government contractors to discriminate against those in the LGBT community, the answer is pretty obvious.
Just the perfect combination for failure- a fiscally profligate social conservative.
Way to go, democrats.
secret
Bev, Scott Walker is a governor, not a senator.
Soooooooooo!!!
Rob-ney is still involved in Indiana whether it be governor or senator when Willard put his Imprimatur on Representative Paul Ryan's disastrous budget.
Don't think for a minute people are not looking at the that amongst Willard's all the other callous actions he has advocated.
Bev is at her liberal worst again today. Can't follow the article or doesn't care about it and feels what she wants to talk about is more important. So, she rants about a governor from another state.
You are a pathetic excuse for the liberals Beverly.
leftliberalliars
You are a pathetic excuse for the liberals Beverly
Since you can't see the connection; you are worst. For example, Romney is just like a weather vane. If the score is in his favor as he sees it; he'll do anything one way or other.
Romney is just like a weather vane
Hey Bev, Mittens is worse. He blows in two directions at the same time.
Well, he just blows anyway IMO.
Well, Romney is sure looking like a leader in Indiana, isn't he? Avoiding endorsing a candidate for fear of alienating one side or the other of the Republican Party schism. Pure Romney. Will it be this way for Romney all the way to November? Probably. And that's why he hasn't got a chance of being elected. At every turn, he looks like a feather in the political wind, weak and unprincipled.
Jerry in Ohio:
Very well said. Romney is weak and unprincipled.
Right.
Obama is a dog eating homophobe. A leader so "strong" that for the third year in a row, the Senate controlled by his party is in violation of the law- they have not passed a budget. They have not allowed a budget out of committee for a vote.
You just keep chanting- but Obama is one and done.
Look at the bright side, Jerry...
One less thing for Mr. Romney to flip-flop.
no joe Why the hate? Keep talking it shows who you are.
So, did Dubya, in 8 years, pass a budget?
Just askin'!
Senate controlled by his party is in violation of the law
Hey Blow job - Where did you get that tidbit of information? Sounds like something fresh outta "Fat Rush's" mouth.
Right on Smitty, the louder she talks, the more desperate she sounds. Have you noticed how loud all the voices on the right are becoming? Look at Boehner, today, slamming the lectern and yelling on the floor of the House, he's feeling the heat along with the others and you can smell the fear as well in their loud voices and posts.
The answer to chilled's question is yes.
Face it, Obama is an abject failure at the job he won. Time for a replacement.
GT-31U.S.C. 1105(a).
Next question?
Hey Blow jo - Obama's actually doing a pretty good job of cleaning up the mess that the Repubes had gotten us into. Check your facts, and be objective for once...
GT-31U.S.C. 1105(a).
No blow - Haven't seen any charges filed yet. Where are they?
no joe, no bo, nj posts .....The answer to chilled's question is yes.
Really?...
Was it balanced, and if so, which column were the unfunded wars, unfunded tax breaks and unfunded MEDICARE Part D put?...Maybe China just added it to our credit card.
That's a lot of deficit stuff that was hidden exactly where?....Oh, I know, Dubya didn't care!
Can we get a replacement for No Joe??????
Damn, has NoJo jumped the shark or what...focusing on dogs and black men...
you know this would be as funny as an episode of Spin City if the stakes weren't so high and Romney wasn't pimping himself out to anyone who can write a 6 figure check.
Something my daddy taught me long ago was don't ever bet on what you want to happen or hope will happen. Only bet on what you realistically think will happen. Barring an economic meltdown, Obama is in there...deal with it. Gas prices are dropping, the economy is stable, Taliban and AQ are on the run, Obama has painted your teabaggers into a corner quite nicely. You know, it's never a good idea to play chess with someone way smarter than you. Your teabaggers are about to learn that. Attitude and swagger may get you into the room, but it won't get you out of the room with your pride intact. I thought America had dealt a deathblow to racist bastards like the KKK in 2008 . Apparently not.
Romney is always in neutral and ready to shift into any gear when pushed. He is not a politician, he is a political committee.
I always thought he was ready to shift into "Reverse!"
LMAO...too funny...good shot!
Has Romney ever told the truth. I wonder what lies he tells his family?
If he called you Nutjob 1 ,he wouldn't be lying
Pity the fool that measures a person's net worth in dollars.
Pity the fool that measures a person's net worth in dollars.
Well, That leaves out Mitt. Too much of his net worth is hidden to do much measuring.....
Obama/Biden - 2012
It is a pity that the "My way or the highway" gNOp party can not have their nominee select a side for fear of upsetting someone. The party that wants to force women to have babies from rape and incest and then wants to allow other to hide behind stand your ground laws to kill these very children make a whole lot of since to me.
Anti any religion but mine, anti-gay, Keep growing our WAR machine with things that have nothing to do with the military. Or pork for their districts (Ask Boehner about the jet engine the military doesn't want being built in his district).
The Right come here and complain about the left yet they come here in droves and complain on both side of the issue. ie get out of these wars or stay in these wars because the job ain't done.
Last but not least, the republicans and tea party still have not learned that there is no cure for being stupid so they continue on.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Doesn't that tell the 99% American People something? Even exlax ETCH-A-SKETCH's own Republican party can't stand him!!
Vote STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC, the lives you save WILL be YOURS & your CHILDREN!!
Mitt Romney can be best summed up as a DORK...bottom line.
I don't think so,G... a dork isn't dangerous. Milk is very dangerous....I thought Nixon was a joke in 1972. Csught red-handed at Watergate...and yet the American public re-elected him. Don't laugh before the first Wed. in November
Romney will never be a true leader. He is just trying to become President because his father failed. He just wants to add something else to his resume.
Obama will only have to worry if unemployment goes up. I think Obama should do well in the Fall. I want him to humiliate Romney in the debates.
Obama 2012
All I can say is I'm still voting RON PAUL, we are doing a lot better than the news is telling you ,
Ron Paul 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!