Don't let Dick Lugar retire

Indiana Senior Senator Richard Lugar, so far, has not announced that he will retire from the United States Senate rather than face tea party opposition. Good. Lugar is one of the few Republicans that I liked. Dick Lugar is a statesman, far from what Mitch McConnell will ever be.

I don't know who the Indiana Democratic Party has that can run against Lugar and be successful in such a race. He's unbeatable.

Reading that tea party activists are against Lugar is saddening.

About 180 tea party activists gathered in a Tipton County church this morning to work on a strategy to unseat U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar in 2012.

The group signed a letter to Lugar, whom the activist group considers too liberal to represent Indiana Republicans, thanking him for his service and urging him not to run in next year's primary.[...]

At the same time as the meeting to unseat Lugar was taking place in Tipton, more than 50 people gathered in Indianapolis to honor and praise Lugar for his support of the Dream Act. The Act, which Tea Party activists oppose, is meant to help the children of illegal immigrants.

La Plaza, an Indianapolis-based civic organization focused on the Hispanic and Latino communities, along with other organizations, honored Lugar and presented him with a plaque this morning. The organization isn't endorsing him or any other candidates, but rather wanted to thank him for his work.

As he accepted the plaque, Lugar smiled and told the crowd, "I should point out that other Hoosiers are proceeding to Tipton County to plot my political end."

Lugar said the 2012 elections could be the most challenging elections he has faced due to that opposition, but he still believes he has great support. During a fundraiser Friday night in Carmel, Lugar raised $390,000 from the 420 attendees, he said. He has also gotten more than 8,000 signatures in support of his re-election run.

"People are fired up and already ready for this election," Lugar said. "It's encouraging, to say the least."