Sarah Palin backs Delaware candidate, but 'tea party' group doesn't
| Washington
FreedomWorks, a major "tea party" organization that sponsored a Washington march this past weekend, is declining to back Delaware Senate candidate Christine O鈥橠onnell 鈥� despite her support from Sarah Palin, Sen. Jim DeMint (R) of South Carolina, and the Tea Party Express, another group active in this year鈥檚 congressional races.
At a Monitor-sponsored breakfast with reporters on Monday, FreedomWorks president Matt Kibbe said, 鈥淲e stayed out of that race because we are not convinced that Christine O鈥橠onnell can win.鈥�
In Tuesday鈥檚 Republican primary in Delaware, Ms. O鈥橠onnell squares off against Rep. Michael Castle, who has been active in politics for 44 years. He has served in the state legislature, as governor, and for nine terms in Congress.
O鈥橠onnell lost two bids for a Senate seat against Joe Biden, when he held the seat before being elected vice president. The Wilmington News Journal has reported on O'Donnell's financial difficulties, including an Internal Revenue Service lien and the fact her mortgage company secured a default judgment against her.
With Ms. Palin鈥檚 potent endorsement and the Tea Party Express saying it would spend up to $250,000 on the race, O鈥橠onnell is giving Representative Castle stiff competition. But in a general election, she would probably lose to Democratic candidate Chris Coons, while Castle currently outpolls Mr. Coons by double digits, according to a September Rasmussen poll.
At the Monitor breakfast, FreedomWorks chairman Dick Armey responded 鈥渘o鈥� when asked if it was better for Republicans to lose with a tea-party-backed candidate than to win with a more mainstream Republican. Mr. Kibbe added, 鈥淭he question for Mike Castle is, if he can鈥檛 win his primary, does he deserve to win the general? And we will see what happens.鈥�
What tea-party activists have sought "is an open primary where their candidates get a chance to run and compete,鈥� Kibbe says.
