DOUG ROSS: Anti-Lugar mudslinging is hitting home this time

It hasn't been easy to find an effective political weapon to use against Sen. Dick Lugar, R-Ind., whose mission for decades has been to help neutralize weapons of mass destruction. But Lugar's opponents might have found a way to penetrate his armor.

They're now accusing Lugar of no longer being a Hoosier. I doubt they'll succeed in convincing the Indiana Election Board of that, despite the formal complaint against him. But they might have the ammunition to convince the voters.

Lugar's opponent in the primary election, state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, has accused Lugar of being out of touch with Hoosiers. Lugar has spent so much time focusing on foreign policy and national security that he doesn't understand what Hoosiers are going through, the reasoning goes.

Mourdock, mind you, is the one who tried to torpedo the Chrysler bankruptcy, meaning he put a higher priority on protecting Hoosier investors than protecting Hoosier jobs.

But Mourdock unquestionably lives in Indiana, and so does U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., who will face the winner of that Republican primary. Donnelly makes it a point to say he comes home every weekend.

When Lugar comes home to Indiana, where is his home?

Lugar has said he sold his Indianapolis house in 1977, the year after he was first elected to the Senate, because he couldn't afford to maintain two households at the time. OK, I'll buy that. But he talks often of his family farm in Marion County. Couldn't he have something slightly more substantial than a tree house there?

When Sen. Dan Coats decided to run for office in Indiana in 2010, he made it a point to establish residency here. All it takes is a small apartment. Why didn't Lugar quietly do that?

Even as Charlie White was running for Indiana secretary of state in 2010, it was widely known he faced a residency challenge. He now is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday on six counts of felony voter fraud.

White said if he's guilty, so are Lugar and some other politicians. But White lost credibility long ago.

However, the Indiana Democratic Party's claim that Lugar is staying in hotels while he visits Indiana -- and billing taxpayers instead of using campaign donations -- has both credibility and high potential for voter outrage.

Why didn't Lugar stay in Hoosiers' homes as he traveled the state, mimicking Gov. Mitch Daniels, a fellow Republican and a supporter of Lugar?

Daniels isn't doing much for the hotel industry, but he's meeting with Hoosiers to talk about issues and mooch a bed for the night at the same time. That gives him the Everyman connection Lugar is accused of lacking.

How long will Lugar's lead last if the Democrats and Mourdock continuing hammering him on this residency issue?

This promises to be a long, muddy campaign trail.

Editorial Page Editor Doug Ross can be reached at (219) 548-4360 or (219) 933-3357 or Doug.Ross@nwi.com. The opinion expressed in this column is the writer's and not necessarily that of The Times.