Indiana Senate race a test of tea party strength

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indiana Senate race for the seat held by Republican Richard Lugar for 36 years is being closely watched nationally as a test of the tea party's strength.

Republican state Treasurer Richard Mourdock entered the general election with momentum from his primary victory over Lugar. Outside groups have pumped millions into the race in hopes of keeping it in GOP hands and giving tea party activists one of their biggest prizes of the campaign cycle.

Moderate Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly has held his own in deeply red Indiana as he courted "Lugar Republicans" leery of Mourdock's statement that bipartisanship amounts to Democrats agreeing with Republicans' views.

Donnelly got an unexpected bounce after Mourdock stated that a pregnancy resulting from rape was "something God intended" during a televised debate Oct. 23.