Free Republic

HE WAS supposed to be a shoo-in. Mike Castle, the popular former two-term governor and tiny Delaware’s sole representative in the House, was the odds-on favourite to win Delaware’s special election to fill the seat Joe Biden held for 36 years. But on September 14th, his Republican primary opponent, the tea-party backed Christine O’Donnell, won a surprising 53% of the vote. The perennial candidate was not taken seriously by Mr Castle, who refused to debate with her, or by the state Republican Party. Tom Ross, the chairman of the state GOP, described Ms O’Donnell as "not a viable candidate for...

Rush on Karl Rove's O'Donnell Comments "Where was this anger directed at a Democrat ever?" VIDEO

Tilted toward the GOP from the start of the year, the political environment has grown even more favorable for Republicans and rockier for President Barack Obama and his Democrats over the long primary season that just ended with a bang. With November's matchups set and the general election campaign beginning in earnest Wednesday, an Associated Press-GfK poll found that more Americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction than did before the nomination contests got under way in February. Also, more now disapprove of the job Obama is doing. And more now want to see Republicans in control...

What is so sad is that these people really wish to stop anyone who doesn't agree with them from speaking.

Today, the day after a very stunning victory for tea party conservative Christine O’Donnell of Delaware. She was able to pull off this win, not only because of her support coming not only from the tea party movement in Delaware, but from national conservative talk radio show hosts, such as Mark Levin. This morning she was on Fox’s “Fox And Friends”. She is a reminder that this nation, the United States of America is right now in revolt mode by many Americans. Despite bad reports coming from Karl Rove and a number of GOP establishment persons, Ms. O’Donnell’s win shows...

Christine O’Donnell’s upset over Cong Mike Castle in the GOP primary dramatically alters Republican prospects for November in Delaware. Castle had broad appeal, including to independents and even Democratic voters, while O’Donnell’s appeal is limited to tea party conservatives. Lacking an impressive resume and unlikely to garner significant national Republican support, O’Donnell clearly looks like an underdog against New Castle County Executive Chris Coons (D), who is suddenly transformed to the favorite in the general election. While tea party activists are jumping for joy at the primary results, it’s Democrats who will have the last laugh in Delaware. We’re moving...

The path to a Republican Senate takeover narrowed to the point of vanishing Tuesday night, as marketing consultant Christine O’Donnell upset Rep. Mike Castle in Delaware’s Senate primary and likely dashed the GOP’s hopes of capturing the seat in the process. Though six other states and the District of Columbia voted in primary elections Tuesday night, the outcome in Delaware had by far the most profound implications for the fall campaign. While Castle was comfortably on track to capture Vice President Joe Biden’s former Senate seat, O’Donnell will enter the general election at a wide disadvantage to the presumptive Democratic...

Click link to see map. Senate is now predicted at 49 Dems, 44 Republicans and 7 undecided.

WILMINGTON, Del. – Conservative activist Christine O'Donnell earned a stunning victory in Delaware's Republican Senate primary Tuesday, riding a wave of tea party anger and advertising dollars to oust U.S. Rep. Michael Castle. O'Donnell's shocking win gave new energy to the tea party movement, which targeted Castle after victories by Republican tea party candidates in the Alaska and Nevada Senate primaries. With 78 percent of precincts reporting, O'Donnell had 54 percent to 46 percent for Castle, a former two-term governor and the longest serving congressman in Delaware history.

Tea party-backed Christine O'Donnell wins GOP nod for Senate race in Delaware

A National Republican Senatorial Committee tells THE WEEKLY STANDARD in an email it's very unlikely that national Republican party organizations will be spending money on Christine O'Donnell's Senate bid in Delaware: SNIP Matt Hoskins, a spokesman for Senator Jim DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund, writes in an email to TWS that the Senate Conservatives Fund is rising to the challenge: The party's coordinated spending limit for a Senate nominee in Delaware is $87,000. The RNC and the NRSC each have that limit so it is double that amount. $174,000 total. Since the party is saying they will cut her off, this...

Christine O'Donnell staged a big comeback win in the Delaware Senate primary against GOP-party favorite Mike Castle, as the Republican rank and file have parted company with the candidate chosen in the backroom by the GOP leadeship. John Cornyn, head of the GOP Senatorial Committee wouldn't promise to lend support to the lady who has garned the support of Sarah Palin, and some, but not all, of the tea party movement. Regardless of the whether the Tea Party supported O'Donnell, the Republicans of Delaware did back her, and the GOP should get behind her 100%. It is amazing how dense,...

A Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) campaign source confirmed to The Hill late Tuesday that the longtime congressman will not be endorsing Christine O'Donnell. The Tea Party-backed O'Donnell defeated Castle for Delaware's Republican Senate nomination. After the stunning primary loss, Castle's campaign also said the longtime congressman is not interested in waging a write in bid this November. In Alaska, Sen Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is contemplating an independent write in campaign after she lost to Tea Party backed Joe Miller in the August GOP primary. As to whether the national party would back O'Donnell, a Castle campaign source said the campaign...

State Of Delaware Department of Elections 2010 Primary Election Polls for the 2010 Primary Election will close on September 14, 2010 at 8:00 PM Please check back after this time for results.

I’m surprised. Not only because it’s insane to think he’s still the favorite — closed primary, polls showing O’Donnell surging, nationally prominent conservatives in full-court press on her behalf — but because it’s poor messaging. If Castle’s chances for victory hinge on centrist Republicans turning out en masse, wouldn’t the GOP want to scare the hell out of those people with predictions of a nailbiter in order to make sure they know their vote’s important? Mystifying. "Republican National Committeewoman Priscilla Rakestraw, who has been working the phones on Castle’s behalf, and who spoke to 300 potential voters at the Academy...

(CNN) - The Delaware Republican party has launched a new robocall the same day voters head to the polls - attacking one of their own. It features a woman identifying herself as former campaign manager for Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell's and saying, "O'Donnell is no conservative" rather she "just wanted to make a buck." In the call, a woman introduces herself as Kristin Murray, saying she managed O'Donnell's 2008 Senate bid and alleges: "I found out she was living on campaign donations – using them for rent and personal expenses, while leaving her workers unpaid and piling up thousands...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 13, 2010CONTACT: Levi Russell at (509) 979-6615 or via email at: Levi@FrontLineStrat.com 80,000 Mailers Hitting Delaware Republican Households Urging SupportFor Christine O'Donnell and Rejection of Mike Castle (WILMINGTON) -- The Tea Party Express is pleased to unveil two mailers it has sent to 40,000 Republican households, for a total of 80,000 mail pieces being sent.  The mail pieces urge a vote for Conservative Republican, Christine O'Donnell, and have called for the defeat of Liberal RINO, Mike Castle.The mailers should reach an estimated 50,000+ high-propensity Republican voters in Delaware (with each individual receiving both mailers). The mailers began hitting...

Raleigh, N.C. – It looks like there’s a real possibility of a major upset in the Delaware Senate primary on Tuesday night, with insurgent conservative Christine O’Donnell leading longtime Congressman and Governor Mike Castle 47-44. That 3 point lead is well within the poll’s margin of error. If Castle is indeed defeated Tuesday night it will be yet another sign that conservatives have a strangle hold on the Republican Party and moderates may or may not be welcome anymore. Castle has an overwhelming 69-21 lead with moderate voters but they only make up 33% of the likely primary electorate. O’Donnell...

MIKE CASTLE TEAM PROMOTES BIDEN’S SON AS DELAWARE GOP REFUSES TO RUN CANDIDATE AGAINST DEMOCRAT ATTORNEY GENERAL (WILMINGTON) — The shameful insider political games continue for Liberal RINO Mike Castle and his political team in Delaware. The Chairman of the Delaware Republican Party, who has become... the principal spokesperson for Mike Castle’s campaign for U.S. Senate, has decided to run cover for Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Beau Biden. Astonishingly, Ross and the Delaware Republican Party have decided to not even field a candidate to challenge Democrat Beau Biden as he runs for re-election as Attorney General for the state...