Richard G. Lugar, Statesman of the Senate: Crafting Foreign Policy from Capitol Hill

12 Tending to the Homefront

12 Tending to the Homefront I In the history of the U.S. Senate, about two thousand people have served in the upper chamber and less than two dozen have been elected to serve six terms. Many of those who have served this long came from states in which one party was in clear ascendancy throughout their political careers, so that once they secured a Senate seat they could keep it until they wanted to leave—or until they died. Senators Edward Kennedyof Massachusetts,RobertByrdof WestVirginia,StromThurmond of SouthCarolina,RichardRussellof Georgia,ClaibornePellof Rhode Island, and Russell Long of Louisiana are examples of this.1 During his more than 35-year career in the Senate, Richard Lugar has represented a state with strong Republican leanings, but it has not been a political lock for the GOP. To stay in Washington, Lugar has had to pay attention to the homefront. His political longevity and success in Indiana politics has not been a fluke. While he has had good luck, he has been a dominant force in Indiana politics as the result of policy accomplishments , careful attention to his state, and diligent attempts to describe what he is doing in Washington in a way that makes sense to his constituents. While Lugar has unabashedly sought to play the role of a national senator who operates effectively on the global stage, he has stayed close to the people of Indiana. He has always remained mindful that his ability to operate on this larger stage requires Hoosiers to re-hire him every x Tending to the Homefront 205 6 years. He can recite with grim precision the electoral demise of other senators involved in international affairs who lost touch with the people back home—and then lost their jobs. He has worked successfully to connect his work in Washington and overseas to the needs of his constituents in Indiana. Lugar has developed what political scientist Richard Fenno calls a “home style” that is very effective. While Fenno’s original model focused on House members, his central insight is that for lawmakers to win re-election they must secure the trust of their constituents. To do this, they must demonstrate that they are qualified for the job, that they understand their constituents’ concerns, and that they can effectively represent their constituents in Washington. In Fenno’s view, a home style is how lawmakers present themselves and their records back home.2 Lugar’s political success is the result of many factors. First, he has a good natural fit with Indiana. Lugar’s quiet, substantive, civil approach to public policy and politics is appreciated back home. A conservative Republican, he has not emphasized controversial social issues such as abortionandsame-sexmarriageandinsteadhasfocusedonmattersthat his constituents are the most interested in such as economic growth, agriculture, nutrition, and foreign policy, which he links to trade and export promotion. Second, Lugar has been attentive to the needs of his constituents. His office responds quickly to questions and helps constituents deal with federal, state and even local governments. Inquiries ranging from howtosecureappointmentstomilitaryacademiestothebestwaytoget flags that have flown over the U.S. Capitol are responded to promptly. He has worked to secure federal funds for projects in Indiana but has largely stayed clear of the controversial earmarking excesses of other lawmakers. Third, Lugar has a strong political operation that works diligently over the full 6 years of his each of his Senate terms, raising funds, monitoring the mood back home, and keeping an eye out for future political challenges. While Lugar always seems calm, his top political people believe it’s important to run scared and to assume that tough political challenges are ahead. Richard G. Lugar, Statesman of the Senate 206 Fourth, Lugar has a strong network of former staffers and political supporters back in Indiana who run law firms, foundations, businesses, and think tanks and who promote the senator and provide his office with information about both opportunities and troubles awaiting him back home. He frequently sounds them out, seeking insights or information . Fifth, the senator’s office has done a shrewd and effective job in linking Lugar’s name to programs and projects that he supports and that reflect favorably on him. Indiana is full of scholarships, awards, and contests that have been named after the senator. These solidify Lugar’s reputation as a public official who supports goals such as effective government, nutrition, education, energy conservation, and principled leadership...