Lugar wins record 5th Senate term

INDIANAPOLIS -- Tuesday night, Republican Richard Lugar became the first Indiana politician to be elected to a fifth term in the U.S. Senate.\nBut no one was surprised.\nLugar defeated his two opponents -- Democrat David Johnson and Libertarian Paul Hager -- by a near-record margin of about 40 percent.\n"We're excited -- all of us -- about the new mandate you have given us," Lugar said in his acceptance speech.\nLugar's supporters said the evening's victory was predictable, but important.\n"He's a person for all people," said Shari Sinders, of Clay City, Ind. "No one could have beaten him."\nMike McDaniel, chairman of the Indiana Republican Party, called Lugar a "world leader," citing his intelligence as a statesman and politician.\n"After four terms in the Senate, people know Dick Lugar pretty well," McDaniel said.\nAs Hoosier Republicans crowded around the stage at their Union Station headquarters, a different scene unfolded blocks away. Johnson conceded the election to Lugar at the Convention Center, the Democratic headquarters.\nJohnson congratulated Lugar, commended him for running a campaign on the issues and said the race benefited the public.\n"No matter who the candidate is, it seems we agree there are some things we need to get done for the future of this state," Johnson said. \nWith six more years in the Senate ahead of him, Lugar has done plenty of thinking about the future.\nLugar promised to improve child literacy in Indiana and reform Social Security and Medicare programs. But one of his key legislative issues remains his effort to disarm nuclear weapons in the former Soviet Union. He said he is also concerned about the situation in the Middle East, and he advised politicians nationwide to step across party lines.\n"We have to have bipartisanship when it comes to foreign policy," Lugar said. "I'd like to be a part of the solution."\nJohnson, an adviser to Gov. Frank O'Bannon, said a large part of his role in the race was to get Lugar talking about the issues.\n"We have run a campaign on the issues of families in this state," Johnson said.\nJohnson focused much of his campaign on education, Medicare reform and targeted tax relief. Despite the election results, Johnson portrayed himself as one of Lugar's fiercest challengers.\nJohnson, who targeted campaign finance reform during the race, said he needed at least $3 million to compete with the incumbent senator. He raised only half of that, he said, which paled in comparison to Lugar's campaign funds.\nThe race was Johnson's first attempt at running for public office.\nJohnson called the campaign "a long ride" and "a good fight," but said that, in the end, it didn't work out.\nJohnson said he is now looking forward to time for reflection.\nBut this is not the end of his political career.\nAt the conclusion of his speech, Johnson said -- and repeated -- a promise to Indiana Democrats: "We'll work together again."\nLugar said he plans to continue working hard for Hoosiers in Washington.\n"The best years," Lugar said with a smile, "are still to come"