Representative Joe Donnelly, Democrat of Indiana, announced Monday that he would run for the Senate, declaring, “I want to take the fight for American jobs and opportunity to the United States Senate.”
Mr. Donnelly, who has been in the House since 2007, is hoping to capitalize on dissension among Republicans in the state. He is running for the seat held by Richard G. Lugar, a six-term Republican who faces a primary challenge from the state treasurer, Richard Mourdock, a favorite of the Tea Party movement.
In a statement to supporters, Mr. Donnelly said, “If you believe, like I do, that the key to America’s greatness is not big promises, but old-fashioned hard work and a commitment to putting our government back on the side of Hoosier families, then I hope you’ll join us.”
Brian Walsh, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement this weekend that Mr. Donnelly had been “a partisan rubber stamp” for Democrats in Washington.
“Just months after voters overwhelmingly rejected Brad Ellsworth’s liberal policies, Joe Donnelly wants to sell Hoosiers on that exact same big-spending, job-killing Washington agenda,” Mr. Walsh said. “We welcome him into the race.”
So far, Mr. Donnelly is the only Democrat to jump into the race. Senator Patty Murray of Washington, chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a statement that he would make Indiana “a great pick-up opportunity” for Democrats.
“He is a strong candidate who knows how to beat the odds and win tough campaigns,” Ms. Murray said. “Most importantly, Joe is exactly the kind of tireless fighter Indiana families need to rebuild the state’s economy, create jobs and get Hoosiers back to work.”