Lugar starting Washington program for U Indy

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar will continue wielding influence in Washington after he leaves office, albeit with a much younger audience.

Lugar is starting an internship program with the University of Indianapolis that will operate out of Washington. He has also agreed to deliver a handful of lectures each year as a distinguished professor at the private university.

A university official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the matter before a Friday afternoon announcement. The official says Lugar will split his time between Washington and Indianapolis in the new job.

Lugar lost a grueling Republican primary battle in May to tea party-backed state treasurer Richard Mourdock. Since then, Lugar has traveled overseas talking about his nuclear disarmament program.