Mike Castled

In a stunning upset in Delaware, Mike Castle lost his bid for the nomination to run for Vice President Biden's old Senate seat to Palinette Christine O'Donnell, a high-wired far-right Tea Partier with a history of running for office in that state and never getting anywhere. O'Donnell - who is not related to anyone at MSNBC - has proven that you don't have to be an experienced, professional politician who knows what you're doing - like Mike Castle, Delaware's lone congressman for nearly twenty years. You just have to make a lot of noise to attract attention from fellow nutjobs. (O'Donnell ran against Biden in 2008, but lost. She allegedly used some of her campaign funds for personal expenses, leading her campaign manager to back Castle in this special election.)

The Democrats suddenly have a chance to keep the Senate. O'Donnell - whose biggest claim to fame is as a sexual abstinence activist in the nineties - will face Democrat Chris Coons in November. Some people have suggested that Coons may have an uphill battle because of strong Tea Party support in rural Kent and Sussex counties that may not be offset enough by voters in urban New Castle County, which includes Wilmington. Except that only 31 percent of Delaware voters think O'Donnell is electable, and even Dick Armey wouldn't endorse her.

Meanwhile, Tea Party supporter Joe Miller, having defeated Lisa Murkowski in the Alaska U.S. Senate primary with the blessing and support of Sarah Palin - who has made her dislike for the Murkowski family clear - is talking about privatizing Social Security (I think I heard right!) - has given his Democratic opponent a fighting chance in this very Republican state. Don't count out Scott McAdams, that Democrat opposing Miller. Bear in mind that Mark Begich became the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Alaska since 1974 only two years ago. His Republican opponent, the late and venerable Ted Stevens, was only hindered by corruption charges. Miller may be an even bigger nutjob than Christine O'Donnell!