- Senator-elect Chris Coons (D) delivers his acceptance speech in Wilmington on election night.
The Republican tidal wave nationally in the 2010 midterm election largely bypassed Delaware. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell, one of the faces of the tea party movement, could not surge past Democrat Chris Coons the way she did U.S. Representative Michael Castle in the Republican primary.
National media outlets started calling the race for Coons moments after the polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Even Coons’ supporters, who had barely started arriving at Democratic election-night headquarters in Wilmington, seemed surprised by how quickly the race was called for the current New Castle County executive.
Coons won the race by a comfortable margin of nearly 17 percent (56.6 to 40%).
He came out to speak to his supporters shortly before 10 pm. “You sent a message that the politics of “no”, the politics of division, the politics of negativity have no place in this great state,” said Senator-elect Coons. “You said today that Delawareans want, Delawareans deserve not slogans, but solutions to your concerns. You want a strong economy. You want good paying jobs. You want our middle class back.”
Chris Coons discusses how he’ll try to create bipartisan solutions in the U.S. Senate
Although CNN called the election in favor of Coons at 8:06, supporters of Christine O’Donnell at her post-election venue, the Rollins Center at Dover Downs, pretended not to notice. They continued with their prescheduled program. The only person who looked really upset was O’Donnell’s media director, Dave Yonkman, whose face fell as he stared at his PDA.
- O’Donnell supporters were not ready to quit despite Tuesday’s election result.
Slowly, as people noticed the flat screen television posting election results, the mood became more somber. Supporters gathered around the TV as Fox News announced the results of exit polls showing the large loss for O’Donnell.
They took out their cell phones and called loved ones and patted each other on the shoulders consolingly.
“I just don’t believe those polls,” said Kathleen Lodge, who sported a blue “Team Christine” shirt and shook her head as the election results appeared. But she promised that even if the polls showing a victory for Chris Coons proved true, she would continue to work to bring her values to government.
“We just have to fight harder,” Lodge said. “We have to do everything we can to stop the damage.”
Amy Valenti of Dover prayed hard tonight, but her prayers—at least for now—have gone unanswered. “This country can not continue in this direction,” said Valenti, who says she will continue to fight for the Tea party values. “I pray that tonight will change this. If not tonight—we can see 2012 from our front porch.”
Sandy Basher’s eyes were a little red and watery as she spoke about O’Donnell’s loss. She couldn’t believe the news. But her support for O’Donnell didn’t waver. “I believe in her,” the Camden resident said. “If she decides to do it again, I will support her a 100 percent.”
Chris Riley, 14, looked shell-shocked and disappointed, but with 4 percent of polling places left to report, he clung to hope.
“I think she has a chance, but it’s going to be very close,” he said. Riley, who comes from a political family, said the experience made him more interested in politics than ever before. “I’m going to join the Young Republicans,” he said.
At 9:34, Christine O’Donnell took the stage to a standing ovation from her volunteers.
“You guys should be proud,” she said. “The Republican Party will never be the same. Our voices were heard, and we’re not going to be quiet now.”
O’Donnell said she asked Coons to speak to her supporters and listen to their concerns. “Hopefully he will,” she said. “He’s going to be up against his party leadership—but hopefully he will realize the difference he can make and do what’s right for the people of Delaware.”
While Coons will head to Washington, O’Donnell said she plans to keep fighting here.
“We’re not going to stop fighting either [because] there’s a lot of work to be done,” she said. “This whole campaign is about putting political process back in your hands. Our elected officials will be held responsible by their constituents—like it or not.”
Then amid much laughter and hugs, O’Donnell told her still-standing audience, “We’ve got the room all night, so let’s party.”
Back in Wilmington, Democrats were enjoying Coons’ win and that of John Carney in the race for Delaware’s lone U.S. House seat.
Delaware’s senior Senator Tom Carper joked that the letter “C” would be playing a big role for the First State in Washington D.C. not that the Delaware delegation consists of Carper, Coons and Carney.
Attorney-General Beau Biden told his celebrating Democrats that they sent a message that the tea party doesn’t fly in Delaware and should “pack it up.”
But as Coons wound down his remarks to the crowd, he struck a more conciliatory tone. He said while he and O’Donnell have real disagreements on much he does not question her or her supporters “love of this nation.” He then reached out to disappointed O’Donnell supporters. “Even if I did not win your vote, I hope to have the chance by working tirelessly for every Delawarean to earn your respect and your partnership.”
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