September 17, 2010 2:11 PM

Jim DeMint: Christine O'Donnell is the "Common Sense" Vote in Delaware

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Republicans ,
Campaign 2010 ,
Tea Party
Jim DeMint

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., speaks to the Values Voter Summit, held by the Family Research Council Action, Friday, Sept. 17, 2010, in Washington.

(Credit: AP)

WASHINGTON -- Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell may seem like a long shot in a blue-leaning state like Delaware, but conservative Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina told the Hotsheet that even moderate voters will appreciate the "common sense" O'Donnell stands for.

In fact, DeMint said, most of the Tea Party-backed candidates that emerged from the Republican primaries this summer support more "mainstream" economic policies than Democrats in Washington.

"The people of Delaware love their country, and they don't want it to be bankrupt," DeMint said. "They've got a real clear choice now between a candidate who's going to vote for the continuation of spending and debt, supporting Pelosi and Obama, or a candidate who will support a balanced budget, repeal of earmarks, support term limits, and just some fiscal sanity."

He continued, "I think you're going to see people in Delaware, a third of whom are independent, supporting some common sense."

DeMint has positioned himself as a conservative leader in the Senate who is not afraid to let his ideology trump party loyalty. He bucked the Republican Party in a handful of primary races, endorsing candidates like O'Donnell and Rand Paul in Kentucky over the establishment picks. Democrats -- and in some cases like Delaware, even Republicans -- have cast the Tea Party candidates as too extreme and unelectable.

However, DeMint said today that conservatives like Paul and Florida Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio "are right in the mainstream of where America wants us to be."

"What's extreme today is $15 trillion in debt and a president and a majority who continues to introduce new spending programs every week," he continued (the national debt this summer surpassed $13 trillion). "I think you're going to see the candidates supported by the Tea Party -- as well as millions of other Americans who don't consider themselves part of the Tea Party -- are going to overwhelm [on] Election Day."

And if his predictions for a conservative wave this November fall flat? "I'll continue to be in the beltway dog house for another six years," DeMint said.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Campaign 2010


Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.


Add a Comment
by dorotheanne September 21, 2010 1:00 PM EDT
Not one news commentator has commented on the lack of research Sarah Palin or Jim DeMint has made in backing O'Donnell. Obviously Sarah gave as much thought to researching her candidate as she does everything else. And Jim Demint? He came out of marketing and public relations....lie, lie, lie, just to make the sale.
Reply to this comment
by documemts September 17, 2010 4:40 PM EDT
...'common sense' in the Twilight Zone.
Reply to this comment
by gig76 September 17, 2010 3:25 PM EDT
No, if we lived in Delaware, I would be fearful she would jump into my bedroom with her rules of sexuality for all Delaware citizens. She seems to have a past like many who have OCD, and ManicDepressant, up one minute down the next, which is a mental illness that must be treated with professional and prescriptive measures. If she decided not to be treated or take her meds, then she will be in raw form after she has been elected, which will be too late. She says she will follow the Constitution when in office. The question to ask her is why hasn't she been doing this all along. As citizens, we are to follow the Constitution as law. Therefore, she is saying she hasn't been following the Constitution as law of the land. She is very confusing in her personal and professional beliefs, which again leads us to think she is OCD and has mood swings of highs and lows. You people in Delaware have a clear choice who to pick, and it's not O'Donnell. She is one person now as candidate, and who you get in office as O'Donnell may be someone you don't want. Be aware what you ask for you just might get the worst of the asking. Vote Democrats 2010 and beyond and know that you are getting the real deal -- real Americans with real American values. Vote Democrats 2010 and beyond.
Reply to this comment
by ricmarc2001 September 17, 2010 2:50 PM EDT
LOL. he hasn't got a clue. this woman is a nut job! they are all nut jobs.
Reply to this comment
by steeepe September 17, 2010 2:32 PM EDT
DeMint is an idiot!
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