BE CAREFUL, BE CAREFUL – AT 9:07 A.M. ET:  Delaware holds its primary tomorrow, with all eyes focused on the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate nomination.  This is the seat once held by Joe Biden.

It had been assumed that the nomination would go to veteran Congressman Mike Castle, a GOP moderate.  But a conservative faction has gotten behind Christine O'Donnell, who's now been endorsed by Senator Jim DeMint and Sarah Palin.  O'Donnell has now shot into a small lead, as The Politico reports:

A new poll suggests a seismic upset might be in the making in Tuesday's Delaware Republican Senate primary.

The survey, released Sunday night by Public Policy Polling, shows Tea Party favorite Christine O'Donnell leading veteran Rep. Mike Castle by 47 percent to 44 percent — a dead heat within the poll's 3.8 percent margin of error.

COMMENT:  Hmm.  Yes, it's true that O'Donnell is the more conservative candidate, but she has more baggage than Samsonite.  There are serious questions about her stability, her finances, her personal integrity, and a whole lot more.  And there are very serious questions about her electability in the general election. 

Republicans have a good shot at taking a Democratic seat in Delaware, and Castle is a highly popular figure across the state.  O'Donnell is, at best, an unknown with huge vulnerabilities. 

In Nevada, Republicans passed over a solid candidate to nominate Sharron Angle for the U.S. Senate, opposing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.  Angle has been a disaster.  An easy win for the GOP has been turned into a dead heat.  I fear the same mistake will be made in Delaware.  Ideological purity is fun if you can afford to lose a few seats here and there.  We can't.

September 13, 2010