Top Republicans were slow to embrace tea-party-backed Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock after he beat longtime GOP Sen. Richard G. Lugar in the May primary. Though Mr. Mourdock eventually won their support — and money — he could see both fade after telling a live television audience that when a woman becomes pregnant during a rape, "that's something God intended."
The Indiana Senate has approved a severely weakened smoking ban with exemptions for bars, casinos, tobacco stores and many other businesses.The Indiana Senate on Wednesday passed a diluted version of a statewide ban on smoking in public places in hopes that lawmakers can forge a stronger ban in a conference committee with House lawmakers, who have passed a more restrictive version of the bill.
Super Bowl Sunday is also shaping up as the kickoff for Indiana's debut as the nation's newest right-to-work state.
