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After Alaska Loss, GOP Gets Aggressive Against Tea Party Candidate in Delaware

1 year ago
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Still reeling from outsider Joe Miller's improbable defeat of GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska, Republicans in Delaware are staging an all out assault on the Tea Party Senate candidate in their state, hoping to preserve the chances of party favorite Rep. Mike Castle.

Delaware GOP officials are wasting no opportunity to attack Christine O'Donnell ahead of the Sept. 14 Republican primary, preparing a slew of negative ads and accusing her of inflating her resume and making false statements about the moderate Castle, The Associated Press reported.

"She's not a viable candidate for any office in the state of Delaware," state party chairman Tom Ross, who is backing Castle, told the AP. "She could not be elected dog catcher."

The Castle campaign has created a website, RealChristine.com, which vows to "expose" O'Donnell's misstatements.

Castle, the state's long-serving lone congressman, has been leading in the polls but the GOP isn't taking any chances after Murkowski's slim loss in Alaska sent shock waves through the party.

Republicans are also sending around audio of a contentious interview O'Donnell did with WGMD-FM this week. In it, the Tea Party-backed candidate repeated claims that she won two of Delaware's three counties in her 2008 Senate run against Joe Biden. Vote tallies show she lost all three counties.

Meanwhile, the Tea Party Express is doubling down on O'Donnell. The New York Times reported the group is funding a $250,000 media campaign, including a TV ad airing Friday outlining O'Donnell's opposition to deficit spending, federal bailouts and the new health care law.

O'Donnell's campaign did not return phone messages seeking comment.

The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Chris Coons in the general election.

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Bob

I have it on good authority that the same kick-out-the-party-favorite gambit also paid off for the Florida Tea Party movement, when it helped defeat a popular GOP career politician, running for governor. Rick Scott was trailing in the polls, but pulled out a 3%-margin victory over the popular Bill McCollum. The dirty-laundry GOP primary campaign also added ammunition to the Democrats' bid for the governor's chair, in the person of Ms. Alex Sink.

September 03 2010 at 2:54 PM Report abuse -3 rate up rate down Reply
dutch

time to clean house, no matter want party they are from,they have joked about tea party on all side's,not taking them serious,well time to show these so called servants of the people the real definition of serve...GO TEA PARTY GO....

September 03 2010 at 2:32 PM Report abuse +7 rate up rate down Reply
tkemail74

I am starting to see AMERICANS both Democrats & Republicans who are tired of the same old politics and same old politicians. The parties have done such a good job over the years to get us to be team players, we became so entrenched with the party we stopped looking at anything or than the D or R in front of a canidates name. Well gentlemen guess what? I think a lot of us are going to actually look at the canidates this time around and it's possible we AMERICANS may send both parties a message and the message is: We intend to hold you accountable for your actions and ignore the spin you put on your past deeds. GOD BLESS AMERICA and those bold citizens who are willing to regain control of this great nation.

September 03 2010 at 2:19 PM Report abuse +10 rate up rate down Reply
RAMDAD

From the looks of these comments, I'd say Castle is in trouble. Go Christine O'Donnell! And take a good look Glen Urquhart who is also a conservative Delawarean running for Castle's House seat.

September 03 2010 at 2:14 PM Report abuse +6 rate up rate down Reply
timdebraandkids

I would honestly like to hear one idea that the Tea Party has put forth that wouldn't fit on a bumpersticker. Seriously. What is the plan? Not just platitudes, but details. Not just what you want, but how you would go about doing it.

September 03 2010 at 2:08 PM Report abuse -5 rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to timdebraandkids's comment
RAMDAD

If you don't know what the plan is by now, you haven't been watching. But for people like you, I will spell it out. Cut the spending, balance the budget, reduce taxes to create jobs, get out of the private sector, and oh, how about securing the borders! Guys like Castle have created the Department of Energy to reduce dependence on foreign oil thirty some years ago. Great job! And the Department of Education. Oh, a really great job! What would we have ever done without them? I could go on and on, but I hope this is enough to make you think for yourself instead of listening to the "do gooders" who pretend that taxing and spending will solve problems when their real motive is control.

September 03 2010 at 3:10 PM Report abuse +7 rate up rate down Reply
timdebraandkids

I know all that. You're very long on what, and very short on how.

September 03 2010 at 3:48 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
JC

It would be my pleasure to support this lady if I had a vote in Delaware. Storm the Castle!

September 03 2010 at 2:08 PM Report abuse +7 rate up rate down Reply
HENRY

What actually is the problem in our governing bodies from local thru state to Federal??? Special Interests!! includes Lobbyists, Big business, little business, developers and anyone interested in any law being proposed or up for a vote. What can we do-> Ensure any and all money given to an ad campaign, candidate to/for office and to the parties (R-D and T!!!) should be listed and accounted for! Show where the money is coming from and where it REALLY goes but most of all WHY and to whom!!!

September 03 2010 at 2:00 PM Report abuse +9 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to HENRY's comment
terick4576

Yeah, well that's been done for decades. You just have to know where to look. Check out the FEC website and you can look up every candidate and who's giving them money.

September 03 2010 at 2:13 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
viking9343

I like her....let's break up the "good old boys" of the GOP. They are just "Democrat lite" anyway. Get rid of them. We need fresh new blood.

September 03 2010 at 1:57 PM Report abuse +11 rate up rate down Reply
brett71381

The Tea Party will just become the new "Establishment" if it prevails, and the cycle will begin anew to unseat the "Tea Party Establishment".

September 03 2010 at 1:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to brett71381's comment
RobertnAK

That may be so Brett, time will tell. But the "Status Quo" is not working and to do nothing is to be part of the problem.

September 03 2010 at 2:03 PM Report abuse +9 rate up rate down Reply
fredlynn07

Wondered when they would turn on each other

September 03 2010 at 1:55 PM Report abuse +8 rate up rate down Reply

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