Donnelly ready to challenge Mourdock

INDIANAPOLIS (WANE) Joe Donnelly made the following statement after it was announced that Richard Mourdock defeated Senator Richard Lugar in the Republican Primary for Indiana’s U.S. Senate seat.

“I thank Senator Lugar for his many years of service to our great state and to our nation. He and I share a history of working across the aisle. I agree with the Senator that we accomplish more when we work together. Senator Lugar and I stood together to rescue the American auto industry, and our state has benefitted greatly from his efforts in so many areas.

I stand ready to challenge Richard Mourdock in the general election because of what’s at stake for Hoosier families. Mourdock once said he ‘didn’t take a pledge that [he] would support every job in Indiana.’ I wholeheartedly disagree. I am running to be a U.S. Senator for working families, which means I will fight for every single Hoosier job.

There are many months of campaigning ahead, but I am prepared to work non-stop traveling the state talking about my plan to help Indiana businesses create Hoosier jobs. While Richard Mourdock trumpets his TEA Party ideas and claims bipartisanship is a dirty word, I will be meeting with the hardworking men and women of this state talking about how we can get Hoosiers back to work. Together, we will strengthen our economy and help Indiana communities attract and keep good jobs.”