In speaking about U.S. defense, Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock told the Times of Northwest Indiana that “There’s always going to be a lot of duplication. We look today at the historical setup of Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard. There’s a lot of duplication and bureaucracy right there. In the 21st century, is that necessary? I’m not sure that it is.”

Dick Lugar, Mourdock’s campaign opponent, pounced on the issue. In a statement released Monday, the Lugar campaign said there was a “key question” to ask Mourdock: “Which military branch do you think is no longer necessary in the 21st century — the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard?”