The quick and dirty on the new Monmouth #DESen Poll

Christine O'Donnell has cut Chris Coons' lead by 9 according to Monmouth's newly released



poll...

In the past two weeks, Republican Christine O’Donnell has narrowed Democrat Chris Coons’ lead in Delaware’s U.S. Senate race from 19 points to 10 points. The latest Monmouth University Poll finds Coons has the support of 51% of likely voters to 41% for O’Donnell. Two weeks ago, this race stood at 57% to 38%.

Christine O'Donnell is winning indies...

O’Donnell has also made gains among independent voters, now leading Coons 47% to 42% among this voting bloc. Two weeks ago, she trailed in the independent vote by 51% to 41%.

Her messaging is working...

Taking down the Widener Law version of the 1st Amendment. #DESen @ChristineOD

The below I got in email from a friend. It's a pretty definitive smackdown of Erin Daly, the Law Professor from Widener who thought it smart to trash Delaware Republican Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell on the 1st Amendment and "Separation of Church and State".

Enjoy!

OPEN LETTER TO ERIN DALY

Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Faculty Research and Development

Widener Law

Christine was absolutely right about "Separation of Church and State" not being in the First Amendment or the Constitution. As I am sure you know, but may not admit, the phrase "Separation of Church and State" comes from a letter from President Jefferson to a private group. It did not appear in Supreme Court decisional law until Reynolds v. United States, 98 U.S. 145, 164 (1878), a hundred years after the Revolution.

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between a man and his God; that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship; that the legislative powers of the government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”—Thomas Jefferson, letter to the Danbury, Connecticut, Baptists.

The First Amendment was ratified in 1791, a dozen years before the Supreme Court’s 1803 decision in Marbury v. Madison.

Delaware's Problem Isn't Christine O'Donnell.If I lived in Delaware I would be looking for Tom Ross' replacement.

I know that it's become popular to get all down in the dumps about the Delaware Senate race. I know that it's all a "done deal" and no amount of campaigning or prodding can change the outcome. The die has been cast.

Alea iacta est.

These words were made famous when Julius Caesar spoke them as he led his army across the Rubicon. Caesar was now in direct defiance and civil war and past the point of no return.

O'Donnell won her primary despite the best efforts of the Delaware GOP and Castle. This race was a contentious one and it has been, more than any other, like a civil war between the moderate and conservative factions of the party.

Since her win she has largely been on her own, still fighting the smears on the left and the potshots from the right. She has had to do all the post primary work, like reuniting the party, without the assistance of the State party. Despite this she has launched what I think is a good ad campaign combined with mailings. She also beat Coons in back to back debates in a matter of 24 hours.

At this point, two weeks out from election day and 2 debates left, a new Rasmussen poll shows Coons at 51% and O'Donnell at 40%.

Now ask yourself this.

If the Delaware GOP had held just one event for O'Donnell since the primary, could this race be closer?

If the Delaware GOP had posted a full throated endorsement of O'Donnell, might that have caused this race to tighten?

Double Miracle* Evening Open Thread.

Tonight there were two miracles, 33 Chilean miners were successfully rescued and Christine O'Donnell trounced Chris Coons in a debate that was focused evenly on character and policy.  As the Phoenix capsule rose from deep in the earth pulling one miner after another back to safety, O'Donnell also rose.



Christine O'Donnell rose above the personal attacks on her.  She spoke with maturity not only about the issues she will face in D.C. as a representative of Delaware, but also her own issues.  Issues she has faced and overcome as a conservative.



While CNN decided to cut away from the live debate when it was apparent that Coons was struggling and O'Donnell was outperforming, CSPAN continued their coverage.  Unfazed by losing his own network, Blitzer aided Coons the best he could.  I won't recap the whole debate here, but it is obvious that O'Donnell's prep time with Palin's debate coach was time well spent.  To the unbiased eye, O'Donnell clearly won.



O'Donnell took advantage of this debate to show she is a serious thinker and a serious candidate.  Will that turn to votes?  I don't know, but I suspect after tonights performance there will be a round of polling that will let us know.



Consider this an open thread.



Aaron B. Gardner



*  Actually, O'Donnell's performance isn't really a miracle.  The Dems will call it that, but we all know they don't believe in God**.



**  What?  It's just a joke.  Like when Coons said he was a "bearded Marxist" when he got back from studying in Kenya.  NTTAWWT IYKWIMAITYD



P.S.  Don't forget the #1013Bomb on Twitter

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/9HRR0E

Crossposted at RedState.com