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.