Mourdock, Donnelly look to Nov. 6

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Wednesday marks the first full day of campaigning for Republican State Treasurer Richard Mourdock and Democratic Congressman Joe Donnelly as the two face off for Richard Lugar's U.S. Senate seat.

Mourdock has the backing of the Indiana Tea Party, and now some big names statewide, including Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

“This candidacy began with the idea that it could play a small part in helping the U.S. Senate turn direction to lead this country back to the fulfillment of the greatest dreams of our founders,” Mourdock said after his primary win Tuesday.

ONLINE EXTRA | Watch his post-election speech.

Meanwhile, National Democratic Party leaders have vowed to help Donnelly win the seat that was Lugar's for the last 36 years. Donnelly, for his part, began his campaign Tuesday evening.

“Richard Lugar worked with me to help save the American auto industry; Richard Mourdock actually filed suit and spent almost $3 million of Indiana taxpayer money to try to destroy the American auto industry,” Donnelly said. “And so there's a huge difference. Senator Lugar worked in a bipartisan way to bring people together; Richard Mourdock has said he's going there for confrontation.”

Locally, both candidates are reaching out to Hoosiers Wednesday.

The Mourdock campaign will be joined by Gov. Daniels and Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman, among others, for a press conference at the Republican Party Headquarters. Daniels had endorsed Lugar in the primary.

The Donnelly campaign is holding its own press conference in Indianapolis to talk about plans to take on Mourdock in the general election.

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 6.