WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Democrat Chris Coons easily won Delaware‘s Senate race Tuesday over Republican Christine O’Donnell, a tea party favorite who struggled to shake old cable-show footage in which she spoke out against masturbation and talked about dabbling in witchcraft as a teenager.
Based on an AP analysis of preliminary exit polling data, Coons defeated O’Donnell, an evangelical outsider whose stunning upset in the September GOP primary likely cost Republicans the race. Her opponent in the primary, congressman and former governor Mike Castle, had been considered a shoo-in to win Vice President Joe Biden’s old seat.
Coons, who has law and divinity degrees from Yale University, is executive of the state’s most populous county, New Castle County, a Democratic stronghold that includes Wilmington. A wealthy attorney, he is the stepson of the founder of the company that developed Gore-Tex fabrics. During the campaign, he mostly supported the Obama administration’s agenda, including the health care bill and the economic stimulus package.
Just a couple of months ago, he seemed an unlikely Democrat to withstand what was shaping up to be a tidal wave of Republican gains across the country. Coons won the nomination only after Biden’s son, Attorney General Beau Biden, declined to run, making Castle the heavy favorite.
O’Donnell upended those plans by beating Castle in the primary, getting strong backing from tea party activists and a conservative base in the state’s rural south. She also won key endorsements from Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor, and influential Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.
She quickly captured the national spotlight over quirky, evangelical comments she previously made on cable television shows such as “Politically Incorrect” with Bill Maher, where as a conservative activist she advocated chastity and equated masturbation with adultery.
She also faced questions about her background and personal finances, including inaccurate statements about her education, a tax lien from the IRS, a lawsuit from the university she attended over unpaid bills and a foreclosure action that she avoided by selling her house to her former campaign attorney before a sheriff’s auction.
In her first ad, she tried to quell the firestorm surrounding her nomination and reintroduce herself to voters as a calm, mature leader. “I’m not a witch,” she said in the ad, smiling. “I’m you.”
But the ad sparked a fresh round of ridicule on comedy shows such as Saturday Night Live, and it became something of a rallying cry among her opponents.
“I’m sorry but I am not her,” said Carol Terry, 72, an independent who voted at a Smyrna middle school. “She has no agenda, no experience.”
Even Republicans had a hard time supporting her. The party establishment all but gave up on her campaign, and many GOP voters said they felt compelled to back Coons.
“I just couldn’t see her as my senator,” said Gary Stulir, a 41-year-old Republican from Smyrna. “She just couldn’t take responsibility for anything she did … I can’t believe anybody backs her.”
Still, with Delaware a possible bulwark against a Republican takeover of the Senate, Obama and Biden campaigned for Coons in October, and Biden headlined another Democratic rally here Monday — despite polls consistently showed Coons with a double-digit lead.
Coons’ win could prove pivotal if Democrats attempt to move major legislation before the new Congress is seated in January. While other senators elected Tuesday will be sworn in then, Coons will be seated almost immediately because the race was a special election to fill Biden’s seat, which has been held temporarily by Ted Kaufman, a former Biden aide.
It wasn‘t immediately clear what O’Donnell — who lost her third bid for Senate in five years — would do in the future.
While her relations with the GOP are strained, she proved her conservative appeal by collecting millions of dollars from conservative supporters across the country.
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Just_Someone_Who_Cares
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 8:59pmYou know everyone says they don’t want a washington insider well, not that I would want Coons or O’donnel necessarily, (didn’t look at either of the candidates) alot of times those back room deals everyone complains about gets things done. I mean some political experiance is a GOOD thing even if it isn’t in washington. Government has so many rules and regulations we don‘t all know about that it would be tricky for someone who wasn’t aware of them to work effectively.
Report Post »powhatan
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 11:07pmGlad I don’t live in Delaware with a bearded marxist…guess they like working for less and then giving all their earnings to him ….Do people in Delaware have jobs? Other than tax payer funded ones?
Report Post »Honcho
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 10:42pmAt least the GOP elite got their fingers burned. Snots.
Report Post »Masamune
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 10:37pmIs this really what you think Delaware? That a marxist is a better choice than O’donnell? Your loss in the end I suppose, but don’t come crying to anyone if your economy goes to hell in the future because you elected this guy!
Report Post »psst
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 10:24pmWhat the hey, some parts of the N. E are like the Left coast.
Report Post »Just too many socialist enclaves to overcome.
Takee kal-i-4-nya. Please
They are in a sinking boat,taking on water, when the order went out to bail, the citizenry took their bailers, scooped up water from the sea and poured it inside their boat.
LittleLordFauntleroy
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 10:10pmCoons for the Bafoons.
Report Post »Timmer1973
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 10:04pmCastle or Coons, whats the difference? My hat is off to Ms. O’Donnell.
Report Post »Beckaj
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 10:03pmSigh. Another marxist in the senate.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:53pmYou had to figure that ‘witchy woman’ wasn’t going to win here. It suc_s but she did it to herself.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:48pmvile dems railroaded her into the stockyards. we’ll have our chance to TOTALLY shut these dems down, yet. Coons may have won over the obama sheeple, but the obama agenda is still up against the REST of US.
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:44pmCongratulations Delaware, you have elected a Marxist!
Don’t come begging the nationwide taxpayer for a handout when he bankrupts your state so his family can get wealthy on green energy schemes.
Report Post »common everyday citizen
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:37pmDelaware citizens have spoken in the baaaa baaaa like sheeple people speak that they understand, they deserve to get the “bearded marxist” who will gladly stab them in the back…just wait and see if you don’t believe. Coons will speak the baaaa baaaa talk until he rubs up to the other marxists in Washington.
Report Post »Quasimofo
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:31pmThanks Karl Rove and The RNC for doing all you could not to support her. You idiots.
Report Post »You would rather have a democrat win and keep as many of the “good old boys” intact then to give O’Donnell at least a fighting chance to win.
Rational Man
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:49pmEXACTLY!!
Report Post »The Republican establishment won Delaware……….Jerks!
norway1516
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 10:22pmthis is why I will never again support the GOP I will be giving my support straight to conservative candidates.
Report Post »Huckabee Gingrich 12
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 11:52pm@MOFO
Report Post »You don’t understand Delaware. That seat was going to a SecularCommieHeathenLeftyEnviroputzProgressive, i.e., SCHLEP, regardless if they were Republican or Democrat. This has nothing to to with the RNC. The RNC saw it for what it was: a waste of resources. This is a good thing. For Republicans to gain control of the House AND Senate sans super-majority right now would be detrimental to the country. Starting in January, the H of R will futilely attempt to do the will of the American people. After two more years of Obama and the Democrat Senate squashing that will, Republicans may make a needed sweep. This is a good thing, ladies and gentlemen.
trukmek
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:19pmTo me, people in Delaware were dum. I’d rather have human being rather than
Report Post »a professional politician.
Squ33
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:18pmTry again in 2 yrs…
Report Post »ritamweep
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:18pmThe GOP really showed her, didn’t they.
Report Post »donedunn
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:14pmIts OK. There are going to be some bitter losses tonight along with a lot of sweet victories!
Report Post »2
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:39pmYea, Your right. Grayson lost. If Murry and Reid go down GREAT.
Report Post »Boxer would be another great one, but it’s California. They
already had Jerry Brown 30 years ago. He’s a LOSER!
tower7femacamp
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:08pmjust what we need coons in DC
TruthTalker
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:08pmShe beat herself.
Report Post »Sledgehammer
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:28pmYeah, but she was cute!
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:35pmTrue.
Report Post »2
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:37pmNo She didn’t. They treated Her like Palin everyday with a New Bull Crap story. She is 10 x better than ‘THE MARXIST’ Coons and you will all see soon enough. Just a Rubber stamp and the Republican She beat was no better than the Marxist.
Report Post »Robert W
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:47pmDelaware returns to its vomit.
Report Post »Laus Deo
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 9:53pm…the government they deserve.
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 10:01pmYour right 2, the media , the Democrat spin, and the lack of support from the old school Republicans was too insurmountable for her. The guy she beat in the primary was a RINO and at least she ended his tenure. Christine wasn’t a liar or corrupted and I believe Delaware will find this out the hard way, again!
Report Post »norway1516
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 10:18pmwell we leave delaware to its own devices and we work on our states. She was a great candidate and im still convinced she should move to Florida where she would greatly flourish.
Report Post »Huckabee Gingrich 12
Posted on November 2, 2010 at 11:35pmTo quote Maharushie, “See, I told you so.”
Report Post »The Third Archon
Posted on November 3, 2010 at 4:43amLOL–Christine O’Donnell is an adulteress.
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on November 3, 2010 at 9:01pmheadline reads voters send COONS to Washington DC LOL LOL
Report Post »that is not by accident.
Mind control.