Tea Party-endorsed Christine O'Donnell wins Delaware Senate primary election

Christine O'Donnell has defeated Mike Castle in a Republican primary election for U.S. Senator from Delaware, CNN and the Associated Press have announced. With 325 of 325 precincts counted, O'Donnell, who has received the endorsement of the Tea Party movement, led Representative Castle by 30561 votes to 27021, 53.1% to 46.9%.

The Republican O'Donnell will likely face Democrat Christopher A. Coons in a special election on November 2. The Senate seat from Delaware was vacated when Joe Biden became Vice-President of the United States in January 2009, and interim appointee Ted Kaufman declined to run for the seat. Analysts such as Taegan Goddard and Bill Kristol question whether O'Donnell can defeat Coons in November. Before the nominations for the race opened, Mike Castle had been favored to win the seat, which would be a Republican gain in the now Democratic-controlled Senate.

Former Alaska governor and Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin endorsed O'Donnell late in the race. The Tea Party movement presents itself as a constructionist conservative movement seeking to reclaim the Republican Party from established politicians.