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Washington •Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, the Senate's most senior Republican and a leading foreign policy voice for decades, was defeated Tuesday in his bid to be renominated for a seventh term.

The Associated Press declared, less than two hours after the polls had closed, that Lugar had been defeated in the GOP primary by state Treasurer Richard Mourdock. He had substantial support from national conservative groups, particularly the anti-tax Club for Growth, the National Rifle Association, and FreedomWorks for America, a group aligned with the small-government Tea Party movement.Lugar was the top target of tea party activists who said they wanted to prove that the movement remains powerful.

Mourdock criticized Lugar for being too willing to work with Democrats. He attacked Lugar's votes for President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominees, to bailout the financial industries, to allow earmarks, and to create a path to citizenship for some children of illegal aliens.

Lugar was also hurt by the fact that he hasn't owned a home in Indiana since he moved to Washington after his first election in 1976. Lugar, who turned 80 last month, was also viewed by many voters as too old.

Lugar unsuccessfully tried to emphasize his opposition to Obama on health care and on a controversial oil pipeline. He also attacked Mourdock in ads that some said tarnished Lugar's "Boy Scout" image.

Final endorsement ads from Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Arizona Sen. John McCain did not stop the slide in his support. Nor did Lugar's final plea for help from "every person in Indiana who wants me to continue." —

More from the trail

Obama praises Lugar's career after primary loss • President Barack Obama is expressing deep appreciation for what he calls Indiana Republican Richard Lugar's distinguished service in the Senate. Obama says in a statement that he and Lugar didn't agree on everything, but he praised Lugar for his willingness to — in Obama's words — reach across the aisle and get things done. The president highlighted Lugar's efforts to work with the White House on nonproliferation issues, and his bipartisanship on national security. Obama says Lugar has "served his constituents and his country well."

Romney wins GOP contests in Indiana, NC, W.Va. • Mitt Romney has won the Indiana, North Carolina and West Virginia presidential primaries. The trio is certain to push Romney closer to the 1,144 delegates he needs to clinch the GOP nomination, handing him 100 or so delegates of the 288 he still needs. None of the outcomes is a surprise. Romney faces no serious challenge to the Republican nomination. Even the candidate himself is essentially ignoring Tuesday's primaries. Romney has been spending the day campaigning in Michigan, where he castigated President Barack Obama as an "old-school liberal" whose policies would take the country backward.

The Associated Press