The AP calls the GOP Delaware Senate primary for Christine O’Donnell. It may not end up being close at all.
1. As much as I may have had many bones to pick, this is a victory for Christine O’Donnell and her supporters to savor. The turnout is set to go well ahead of the expected 45,000, and she’s had no trouble finding the votes on a scale that large. Rep. Mike Castle and those who preferred him threw everything they had at her; she managed to persuade Delaware GOP primary voters that the key issue in the race was Castle’s record and not hers.
2. Delaware Republicans are a much more conservative group that past elections would lead us to think. In retrospect, how did Mike Castle never have a primary challenger in 9 terms?
3. She didn’t just beat Mike Castle’s campaign. She beat the state party.
4. Go beat the heck out of the once-bearded Marxist, ma’am.
UPDATE: Boy, this NRSC statement is . . . brief.
“We congratulate Christine O’Donnell for her nomination this evening after a hard-fought primary campaign in Delaware.” – Rob Jesmer, NRSC Executive Director
Meanwhile, a guy who’s seriously pulling for the GOP this year sighs, “Well, a few million in spending just opened up for the Democrats to spend against Toomey, Portman, Kirk, etc.”
ANOTHER UPDATE: Jim DeMint’s statement comes in:
Alexandria, VA – Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), chairman of the Senate Conservatives Fund, made the following statement regarding the Republican nomination of Christine O’Donnell in Delaware.
“I want to congratulate Christine on her remarkable victory tonight,” said Senator DeMint. “She came from behind and won this race because of her unwavering support for the principles of freedom. She wasn’t afraid to stand up to the establishment and she overcame some pretty nasty attacks.
“I also want to thank the thousands of grassroots conservatives in Delaware and around the country who worked so hard to make this possible. Without their support, Christine would not have been able to do it.
“Now it’s time for all Republicans to unite behind Christine so she can go on to win in November. If she is elected, she will join a growing group of new leaders in the Senate who will stand up to the big spenders in both parties and help us take our country back.”
The Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF) is a political action committee dedicated to electing strong conservatives to the U.S. Senate. SCF backs underdog candidates who are overlooked or even opposed by the Washington establishment. Besides Christine O’Donnell, SCF is also backing Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio in Florida, Ken Buck in Colorado, Rand Paul in Kentucky, Mike Lee in Utah, Sharron Angle in Nevada, Ron Johnson in Wisconsin, Dino Rossi in Washington, Joe Miller in Alaska, and Ovide Lamontagne in New Hampshire.
The Palin-loving ideologue in me says, "He*l yes!"
The pragmatic political analyst in me says, "Bye bye Senate."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCongratulations indeed.
Now win the voting on November 2nd.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell, the GOP will also have money to spend - I can't see the RNC and NRSC spending anything on this race now.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI wonder what the O'Donnell campaign will say about the October polling figures?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMaybe the crazies got their pound of flesh and will go back to reading Lew Rockwell. At least the rest of the GOP will stop pretending they can throw their jock on the field and get a win.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe RNC and NRSC will not spend a dime, why waste money on an unwinnable seat.
So in DE we lose the senate seat that was a slam dunk and we lose Castle's house seat.
Great job folks.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf you thought Castle's ads against Christy were bad just wait until the Dems and the lamestream media tag-team her this fall. Oy....
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Senate was a long shot at best. Hopefully, this sends the GOP a message that the voters just won't rubber-stamp any RINO they throw at us.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDon't worry about any egg on your face, Jim. If she wins the general election you're going to be chewing on shoe leather. (g)
Is this the year that the Republican party left the conservatives behind, or is it the year that conservatives left the Republican party behind?
It appears to me that support for the Republican party is flat, while support for conservatism is on the upswing. You don't think it could have anything to do with that lady from Alaska, do you? Nah....
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNot electable. Well let's see she just took down the state party and their favorite RINO son. It is amazing that all you brilliant genius establishment types are so myopic that you've already conceeded. No wonder you types will jump on any bandwagon available. If we were depending on Castle for control of the Senate then there wasn't going to be any control. Voinovich, Jeffords, Specter, the Maine dunces, Grahamnesty, and McCain; Castle would give those clowns more power to stall and coopt conservative priorities. Charlie Crist jumps to mind here. Stand by for an independent run from Castle. Much like Murkowski he'll do anything to further his self importance and vanity. Count on it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf O'Donnell does win the general election, I will be the first in line to admit I was wrong and apologize.
However, you could equally say that this year, the public mood is such that if a person say that for such and such things, even what might be considered marginal candidates (With little electoral/political experience, and/or elected experience, and/or slight message and stance and/or some significant flaws.) will get into the general election as the party nominee, because they excited people more.
We already saw it with the Colorado governor's race. It was no, and is not a pretty sight.
What is far more troubling the bad blood that has now erupted when we should all be concentrated on winning.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHey guys. Lemme ask you something - which conservative priorities are going to get passed in a Senate with 40 Jim DeMints? You're so worried about a guy like Castle "coopting conservative priorities" that you're willing to create a situation where there will be no need to coopt anything - conservative priorities will simply be ignored.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf Christine O'Donnell or a member of her staff, responding to a poll conducted in October or even Election Eve, (which show her trailing the Democrat by significant margins.) by saying that the polling company was affiliated with the DNC, DSCC, RNC, or NRSC, or even Delaware branch of the two parties, in the reply...
Will that make you question her competency as a candidate?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat we just saw is called, "getting primaried". Maybe the moderate (R)s will think twice before enabling Democrats, reaching across the aisle, forming Gangs of 14, and voting for crazy legislation like Cap and Trade. Mark Kirk might be the next cap and traitor to go down. He had the luxury of an early primary date (February), but he's probably going to lose to a bad Democrat candidate.
Even if O'Donnell loses, Republicans should know that risky and reckless votes to appease the loud liberal constituents might not turn out so well.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh really like all the conservative priorities that were steamrolled through when the gang of 14 erupted. You've got a real short memory. Like all those conservative principles that were championed during the Bush years. No child left behind,massive domestic spending increases, etc. Conservative principles were trashed for the 8 years of Bush, thus we have speaker Pelosi. Nice try, but history proves you wrong.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNot sure how this hurts the GOP, unless you want to pass legislation that will attract Collins, Castle, Graham, and Snowe and then have it vetoed by Obama.
If Republicans win the House and have a double-digit majority while getting 45+ Senate seats, what's the real downside? You can block really obnoxious legislation and nominees in the Senate. It's gridlock. Which is the best you can hope for until you win the White House.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThat was a very classy statement Jim. And congratulations to Christine for a hard fought victory. No go win the general!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell, I guess we didn't want the Senate this year anyway. But hey, we're pure!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou know, for a bunch of supposed principled underdogs, the O'Donnell thought police here are certainly good at sneering down their nose at the rest of us hoi polloi.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'll note that RCP has already moved the seat from Lean GOP to Likely Dem. I figure it won't be long before it's moved over to Safe Dem.
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