First off, Lugar is not a moderate. He's a liberal and a gun grabber. Mourdock would not have lost either if it wasn't for his big mouth. He wasn't being 'far right' but stupid and incompetent. That has nothing to do with views. Mike Pence had little trouble winning, and he's more conservative than Mourdock. Democrat Joe Donnely was also pro-life.

Secondly, we've run a moderate in every election since 1988. Bush I, Dole, Bush II (Fiscally), McCain, and Romney. Bush I in 88 and Bush II ran as a conservative, at least in style if not substance. They won. The rest lost.