Pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the 2010 primary season, tea party insurgent Christine O'Donnell defeated [1] Rep. Mike Castle in the Delaware's Republican Senate primary. O'Donnell won 53 to 47 percent with the final ballots still being counted Tuesday night, shocking observers across the political spectrum. Castle, a veritable political veteran, appeared to have a clear path to victory until a poll from Public Policy Polling came out last week showing [2] O'Donnell ahead by three points, having received a last-minute boost from national tea party groups that poured money and grassroots support into the race.
The question now is what the national GOP will do with O'Donnell. Just how far to the right are their national leaders willing to go to play to the tea party base and do anything to oppose the Democratic agenda? The GOP establishment poured an unusual degree of invective into its crusade against O'Donnell, casting her as completely unelectable in a reliably blue state that went for Obama in 2008 by a 25 percent margin. Without the Delaware seat, the GOP's chances of winning back the Senate majority have diminished significantly. Minutes after O'Donnell's victory was called, Beltway GOP operatives were aghast. It's the "worst night for GOP since passage of Obamacare," tweeted [3] Republican new media consultant Patrick Ruffini. "Congratulations [4] Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)."www.thedailybeast.com/beltway-beast/nrsc-just-kidding-we-love-odonnell/ [5]
Certainly, the GOP might finally be willing to distance itself from one of the tea party darlings. While there's been considerable infighting in other Republican primary races, the GOP has never been bested by a tea party candidate with so little chance of winning a Senate seat. In addition to adopting all the usual hard-line views on the major issues, O'Donnell has equated [2] masturbation with adultery—advocating self-abstinence [6], let's say—and has lied repeatedly about her education and political accomplishments. Though other tea party candidates have voiced extreme positions, O'Donnell appears to have transgressed an outer limit that even Nevada Republican nominee Sharron Angle couldn't reach.
It's doubtful whether the national GOP will want to put any resources into her bid. "They'll have to make that call," says Tom Davis, a former House Rep. and chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee. A long-time Castle supporter, Davis considers O'Donnell's chances of winning the general election "miniscule." On Tuesday night, the National Republican Senatorial Committee would only say [7] that they were "watching" the race to decide what they would do, and there are already reports [8] that Republican strategists have written off the state entirely*. While O'Donnell might continue to draw grassroots tea party support, the national movement may decide their money might be better spent backing Angle or another candidate with a feasible chance of winning. "The right wing world will move on…to the new new thing," says Davis. "She'll be their darling for a week or so, then she'll have problems being competitive financially." With only about $20,000 of campaign cash currently on hand—versus Coons' $900,000—O'Donnell stands even less of a chance if she doesn't get another avalanche of backing.
The right-wing crusade against Castle always seemed more like a symbolic than pragmatic assault, even before the race blew up in the national spotlight. There were few targets in the GOP who were more tempting: as one of the only remaining moderate Republicans in Congress, Castle continued to stay true to his bipartisan rep, even after almost every other member of his party had deserted the center. With Castle gone, the moderate GOP caucus in the Senate will be small indeed—regardless of whether Coons or O'Donnell ends up winning in November. If the ultimate goal of the tea partiers really is to push the party farther to the right—rather than win as many Republican seats as possible—then their work in Delaware really might be finished.
12 comments:
this is weird what does all of that have to do with any kind of political race, she won why would she put out personal information about unneeded details. it is all abunch of stuff to add insult to injury.
Both parties are running out of options in coming to a consensus on what will be the best for all Americans and these Tea Party people are stepping up to the plate. They are gathering supporters because they are more charismatic and have a ideas that people listen to because they are not the typical career politicians that have controlled the government so long. With three parties fighting for control, the November elections will be quite messy.
This will differently be an interesting year for politics, especially with this new party. A third political party's perspective will be useful when the policy makers weigh their options.
Leaning too far to either of the political parties is never a good thing. There should always be balance. Most people are fairly moderate and political parties should to cater to the majority. Thankfully, O'Donnell will not get very far with her extremely right-wing views. The GOP should distance themselves from O'Donnell and any other tea party candidates.
I'm not really surprised that O'Connell won the Republican primary, because it seems that grass root politicians have had powerful responses lately. However, I do agree that O'Connell has little chances of winning not only because she is running as a Republican in a liberal state, but also because politicians who are associated with single-issue groups rarely make it to office.
This has the political world in an uproar. I'm not sure if I would have voted for her personally, due to her lies about her personal achievement. I wouldn't be able to put power into someone that blantly lies. However, the media could just be saying that, with the nasty political game. Nonetheless, it is interesting this event has occurred, and even more interesting to see how this turns out.
Christine O'Donnell won the Tea Party nomination over Mike Castle in a last minute victory of votes. She isnt' favored by a lot of the GOP. Some even called it the worst night in the GOP since the Obama health care package. It is said she's lied about various things. Her reputation doesn't seem the best. I think if wants to get more people on her side and support her fully, she needs to show people she is different and wants change for the best.
How on earth did this women get elected? Her ideas are crditionals are non- existent and her ideals are ridiculous. It hink people are getting so sick of the two parties, Republican and Democrat, that they feel they must vote for someone in the tea party. But they couldn't have choosen a worse candidate. Granted, the tea party is not a bad idea- it has some good facts that America wants and needs to listen to. But electing Christine O'Donnell to even a possiblity of a Senate seat is only going to hurt the party, and the right side. (Look at all the parady media she's gotten already- Jimmy Kimmell, Jay Leno, David Letterman, and I'm sure SNL tonight.) If this party wants to make anything of themselves, then the last paragraph of the article got it right- THey're finished in deleware.
The fact that O'Donnell defeated Castle in the primary surprised me very much. Once again, another example of the underdog winning. However, if she wants a chance at winning, she really needs to get more backing up to match Coons' $900,000.
I'm not in favor of the Tea Party and I completely agree with what Davis said about O' Donell; $20,000 is not enough money for a campaign and on top of that it doesn't even seem like she knows how to spend her money wisely. Right now, things look okay for O' Donell but soon [in my opinion] she's going to be forgotten. It doesn't look like anyone is TRUELY in favor of the Tea Party, the Republicans are just using them to beat the Democrats, which soon they will realize that its gonna solve nothing.
I'm not in favor of the Tea Party and I completely agree with what Davis said about O' Donell; $20,000 is not enough money for a campaign and on top of that it doesn't even seem like she knows how to spend her money wisely. Right now, things look okay for O' Donell but soon [in my opinion] she's going to be forgotten. It doesn't look like anyone is TRUELY in favor of the Tea Party, the Republicans are just using them to beat the Democrats, which soon they will realize that its gonna solve nothing.
wait, how does the GOP have control over one of the candidates? I have'nt really read much into the whole Tea Party Buissness, but i did'nt think that the GOP had that much power? If that evidence against odonall is conditional, they have no right to judge someone based on that assumption.
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