The Good Old Boys don't like it when some upstart comes knocking at the clubhouse door:
Senate GOP leaders are backing Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana against his 2012 primary challenger, helping him raise significantly more campaign funds than state Treasurer Richard Mourdock this year.
The nearly $1 million that Lugar raised in the first three months of 2011 was six times what Mourdock has collected since announcing his campaign in late February with the backing of many county GOP leaders.
Lugar, who has been raising money since his easy 2006 re-election to a sixth term, ended March with about $3 million in the bank compared with Mourdock's $121,732.
Ed Feigenbaum, publisher of the political newsletter Indiana Legislative Insight, said Mourdock -- a tea party favorite -- has a greater ability to raise money through the Internet and has hired an experienced grass-roots fundraising team to help with that.
Are the county chairmen a little more in touch with Hoosier Republicans and the senators too insulated to fully grasp the revolution that's bubbling up through their party? Or will Hoosiers' continuing affection for Lugar make him immune to the tea party insurrection? It surely will be interesting.
