Lugar primary challenger accuses senator of reversing position on House GOP budget

Sen. Dick Lugar's (R-Ind.) Republican primary challenger accused the longtime senator Tuesday of inconsistency in his position on the $57 billion in spending cuts passed by House Republicans.

Indiana State Treasurer Richard Mourdock charged Lugar with his reversing initial opposition to the measure.

"Senator Lugar's vacillation betrays his liberal instincts," Mourdock said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, Lugar indicated that he would vote against H.R. 1 when it came up for a vote in the Senate, but the Indiana Republican later rescinded that opposition, saying he simply misunderstood the question.

"I'm going to vote with the Republicans on the issue when H.R. 1 comes up," Lugar said. "It it's strictly an affirmative vote, I will be for H.R. 1 because all the Republicans will be voting for H.R. 1."

Lugar then apologized for the confusion.

"I'm sorry if I misled people," he said. "I'm going to vote for the Republican resolution, which is as clearly as I can say it."

Mourdock, though, said he wasn't buying it, calling Lugar out for "undercutting" House Republicans.

"Today, [Lugar] announced his intention to support the Obama position by undercutting the House Republicans only to reverse himself within minutes when the potential consequences sunk in," Mourdock said. "A consistent conservative position would be to reduce government spending now."

The Senate is expected to vote on the measure either late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
 
In his statement, Mourdock also said Lugar "switched course" on repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy "when the threat of my candidacy was rumored."

Mourdock is waging a Tea Party-backed primary challenge to Lugar and has already rolled out the backing of a majority of Indiana Republican county chairmen from across the state. Tea Party groups are pointing to Lugar as their number one 2012 target.

Last week, Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) and Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) said they would remain neutral in the primary, dealing another early blow to Lugar, something Mourdock touted in a fundraising appeal late last week.

Still, Lugar does have the early advantage when it comes to fundraising. He is sitting on some $2.3 million and has held several fundraisers in recent weeks.

Lugar told CNN on Monday that he already has "boots on the ground," organizing ahead of 2012.

Lugar did say Tuesday that he does not like the "formulation" of the spending cuts passed by the House and would like Congress to go even further to cut the deficit."

Last month, Lugar raised concerns about the House bill during an interview with CNN. Lugar said then that he would "not support the entirety of the House bill."