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'Tea Party' wins Delaware Republican Senate primary
Source: Agencies |
September 15, 2010, Wednesday
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A conservative "Tea Party" favorite knocked off the establishment choice in Delaware's Republican Senate primary yesterday, capping a volatile primary season with another powerful display of anti-Washington voter anger.
Upstart Republican candidate Christine O'Donnell scored the biggest in a string of Tea Party upsets with a win over nine-term Representative Michael Castle, a popular former governor and one of the last Republican moderates in Congress.
The loss by Castle, who had been expected to cruise to an easy victory in the November election, boosts Democratic efforts to win the Senate seat and could hurt Republican chances to take control of the Senate.
Castle is the eighth Senate candidate supported by the national Republican campaign committee to lose a primary in an election season marked by the rise of the Tea Party amid widespread voter dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama and government in Washington.
The contest in Delaware highlighted the final day of primaries before the November elections, with voters in seven states choosing nominees for the Senate, House of Representatives and governor's races.
In New Hampshire, former state attorney general Kelly Ayotte trailed in early results against a Tea Party-backed lawyer who had been endorsed by former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Republicans are threatening to turn voter worries about the economy and Obama's leadership into big gains in November that could give them control of the House of Representatives and perhaps even the Senate, once considered a longshot.
Republicans must pick up 10 Democratic seats to reclaim the Senate, and Delaware was once considered to be safely in the Republican column with Castle as the candidate.
But his loss makes it at least a toss-up. O'Donnell will face Democrat Chris Coons, a county executive, in November.
NEW FOCUS
The Delaware primary had gained new urgency after last month's upset of Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska hammered home the point no incumbent was safe in a year when seven had lost congressional primaries.
State and national Republicans weighed in heavily in the last few weeks to help Castle, worried that O'Donnell was not capable of winning in November. Palin endorsed O'Donnell.
Democrats were gleeful about the Republican infighting and the result.
"Tonight, Mike Castle became the eighth Republican establishment candidate to be upset by a party in complete turmoil," said Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, who leads the party's campaign committee.
"Instead, Delaware Republicans chose an ultra-right-wing extremist who is out of step with Delaware values."
Democrats hope the Republicans' shift to the right and the nomination of outsider candidates in Nevada, Kentucky, Colorado and elsewhere will help them in November by alienating moderates and energizing Democrats in those crucial races.
Polls show tight Senate races in all those states. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, considered politically dead earlier in the year, is in essentially a dead heat with Tea Party-favorite Sharron Angle in Nevada, according to a poll yesterday.
Upstart Republican candidate Christine O'Donnell scored the biggest in a string of Tea Party upsets with a win over nine-term Representative Michael Castle, a popular former governor and one of the last Republican moderates in Congress.
The loss by Castle, who had been expected to cruise to an easy victory in the November election, boosts Democratic efforts to win the Senate seat and could hurt Republican chances to take control of the Senate.
Castle is the eighth Senate candidate supported by the national Republican campaign committee to lose a primary in an election season marked by the rise of the Tea Party amid widespread voter dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama and government in Washington.
The contest in Delaware highlighted the final day of primaries before the November elections, with voters in seven states choosing nominees for the Senate, House of Representatives and governor's races.
In New Hampshire, former state attorney general Kelly Ayotte trailed in early results against a Tea Party-backed lawyer who had been endorsed by former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Republicans are threatening to turn voter worries about the economy and Obama's leadership into big gains in November that could give them control of the House of Representatives and perhaps even the Senate, once considered a longshot.
Republicans must pick up 10 Democratic seats to reclaim the Senate, and Delaware was once considered to be safely in the Republican column with Castle as the candidate.
But his loss makes it at least a toss-up. O'Donnell will face Democrat Chris Coons, a county executive, in November.
NEW FOCUS
The Delaware primary had gained new urgency after last month's upset of Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska hammered home the point no incumbent was safe in a year when seven had lost congressional primaries.
State and national Republicans weighed in heavily in the last few weeks to help Castle, worried that O'Donnell was not capable of winning in November. Palin endorsed O'Donnell.
Democrats were gleeful about the Republican infighting and the result.
"Tonight, Mike Castle became the eighth Republican establishment candidate to be upset by a party in complete turmoil," said Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, who leads the party's campaign committee.
"Instead, Delaware Republicans chose an ultra-right-wing extremist who is out of step with Delaware values."
Democrats hope the Republicans' shift to the right and the nomination of outsider candidates in Nevada, Kentucky, Colorado and elsewhere will help them in November by alienating moderates and energizing Democrats in those crucial races.
Polls show tight Senate races in all those states. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, considered politically dead earlier in the year, is in essentially a dead heat with Tea Party-favorite Sharron Angle in Nevada, according to a poll yesterday.
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