Christine O'Donnell

O'Donnell was born in Philadelphia and raised in Moorestown, New Jersey.via The Washington Post. [http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2010/09/gop_candidate_christine_odonne.html "GOP candidate Christine O'Donnell's stunning Senate primary win raises questions about her past"], The Plain Dealer, September 19, 2010. Accessed March 1, 2011. "O'Donnell, 41, grew up in Moorestown, N.J., and attended Fairleigh Dickinson University, though she did not earn her degree until this year." She is the fifth of the six children of Carole (Chillano) and Daniel O'Donnell. Her mother is of Italian descent and her father is of Irish descent.{{cite news|url=http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=201010100363|title=Delaware politics: From middle-class New Jersey, moral activist Christine O'Donnell knew 'God was calling'|first=Ginger|last=Gibson|newspaper=The News Journal|location=Wilmington, Delaware|date=October 10, 2010|access-date=October 15, 2010|archive-date=August 16, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816211144/http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=201010100363}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/02/us/politics/02odonnell.html?hp|title=The Political Wild Card|first=Mark |last=Liebovich|work= Politics|date=October 1, 2010|publisher=The New York Times}}{{cite news|url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/send-in-the-clowns-and-the-truth-squad |title=Send In the Clowns — and the Truth Squad |work=The New York Times |date=October 4, 2010 |first=Mark |last=Leibovich |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019003221/http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/send-in-the-clowns-and-the-truth-squad/ |archive-date=October 19, 2010 |df=mdy }} O'Donnell has said that at times, her father had to work three jobs to make ends meet. He worked part-time in community theatre and on local television, and did a brief stint as Bozo the Clown in the 1960s.{{cite news|url=http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20101008_Turns_out_O_Donnell_s_dad_wasn_t_a_total_Bozo_after_all.html |title=Christine O'Donnell's dad: A local Bozo |first=Will |last=Bunch |publisher=Philadelphia Daily News |date=October 8, 2010 |access-date=October 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101023084119/http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20101008_Turns_out_O_Donnell_s_dad_wasn_t_a_total_Bozo_after_all.html |archive-date=October 23, 2010 |df=mdy }}

O'Donnell graduated from Moorestown High School in 1987, where she was a member of the drama club and a student announcer. She attended Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) beginning in 1987, initially majoring in theater, but later changing to English literature with a concentration in communications. O'Donnell later told The New York Times she had three senior years of college. O'Donnell received a bachelor's degree in English literature from Fairleigh Dickinson in September 2010.

O'Donnell first held political office in 1991 when she worked the polls for the College Republicans. She was a youth leader for the Bush–Quayle campaign and attended the 1992 Republican National Convention.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/02/AR2010100201243.html |title=O'Donnell TV appearances began with chance meeting |agency=Associated Press |author=Randall Chase and Jessica Gresko |date=October 3, 2010 |newspaper=The Washington Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113042423/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/02/AR2010100201243.html |archive-date=November 13, 2012 |df=mdy }} While there she began making media contacts, meeting daily with a CNN producer and giving television interviews that offered a college student's perspective on the convention. The following year, O'Donnell worked for three months in Washington, D.C. for the anti-pornography organization Enough is Enough. She then spent two years working in the communications office of the Republican National Committee (RNC) in Washington D.C.{{Cite news|title=New hero of 'tea party' faces scrutiny |last=Somashekar |first=Sandhya |author2=Perry Bacon, Jr. |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 19, 2010 |pages=A1, A9 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/18/AR2010091803807.html |access-date=September 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113042430/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/18/AR2010091803807.html |archive-date=November 13, 2012 |df=mdy }} O'Donnell later became a spokesperson for the conservative Christian group Concerned Women for America.{{Cite news | last = Mascaro | first = Lisa | url = http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-delaware-tea-party-20100912,0,7537808.story | title = 'Tea party' candidate in Delaware rattles the Republican Party | newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date = September 2, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101022071724/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-delaware-tea-party-20100912,0,7537808.story | archive-date = October 22, 2010 | access-date = November 21, 2010 }}

In 1996 O'Donnell attended the Republican National Convention in San Diego, moved to Los Angeles, and founded her own advocacy organization, The Savior's Alliance for Lifting the Truth (SALT), serving as its president. SALT lobbied the U.S. Congress on moral issues{{cite news| last = Gibson | first = Ginger | title = Delaware politics: O'Donnell faces campaign debt, back-tax issues | date =March 20, 2010| url = http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100320/NEWS02/100902061/Delaware-politics-O-Donnell-faces-campaign-debt-back-tax-issues|newspaper=The News Journal|location=Wilmington, Delaware| access-date =September 16, 2010}} and promoted Christian values, including sexual abstinence before marriage, to the college-age generation.{{cite news| first = Amy| last = Gardner| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/12/AR2010091204306.html?sid%3DST2010091204277&sub=AR| title = In Del., GOP comes out swinging against tea party| newspaper=The Washington Post| date = September 3, 2010| access-date = September 19, 2010| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121113042439/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/12/AR2010091204306.html?sid=ST2010091204277&sub=AR| archive-date = November 13, 2012| df = mdy-all}} In the 1990s, O'Donnell took a public stance against masturbation, calling it "sinful" and equating it with adultery.{{cite news | last = MacAskill | first = Ewen | url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/15/christine-odonnell-tea-party-interview | title = Christine O'Donnell interview: 'The Republicans have lost their way' | date = September 1, 2010 | newspaper=The Guardian | access-date = September 1, 2010 | location=London}}{{Cite news | last = Weiss | first = Jeffrey | title = Like Sarah Palin, Christine O'Donnell Faces Questions About Her Faith | date = September 20, 2010 | publisher = Politics Daily | url = http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/09/19/like-sarah-palin-christine-odonnell-faces-question-about-her-f/ | access-date = September 1, 2010}} O'Donnell appeared on Fox News, MSNBC and C-Span as a representative of SALT. She also appeared on MTV's Sex In The 90s, advocating sexual "purity",{{cite news | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/15/flashback-gop-senate-cand_n_717936.html?view=print | title = Christine O'Donnell On 'Politically Incorrect': A Flashback For GOP Senate Candidate (VIDEO) | first = Jason| last = Linkins| work=HuffPost| date = September 15, 2010}} and was a regular guest panelist on Bill Maher's ABC show Politically Incorrect, appearing in 22 episodes.{{Cite news | last = Creed | first = Ryan | title = Christine O'Donnell: 'I Dabbled in Witchcraft' | date = September 18, 2010 | work=ABC News | url = https://abcnews.go.com/News/christine-odonnell-dabbled-witchcraft/story?id=11671277&page=1 | access-date = September 19, 2010}} In a 1996 discussion on CNN, O'Donnell advocated the teaching of creationism in public schools and criticized Darwin's theory of evolution on the ground that it is "merely a theory" or "a myth". She asserted that "there is just as much, if not more, evidence supporting [creationism]."{{cite magazine | last = Amira | first = Dan | title = GOP's Delaware Senate Nominee Christine O'Donnell Not a Big Fan of Evolution | date = September 15, 2010 | magazine = New York | url = http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2010/09/the_gops_delaware_senate_nomin.html | access-date = September 22, 2010}}{{cite news | last = Colmes | first = Alan | title = Bill Maher's Latest O'Donnell Clip: "Why Aren't Monkeys Still Evolving Into Humans?" | date = September 25, 2010 | publisher = Fox News Radio | url = http://radio.foxnews.com/2010/09/25/bill-maher%27s-latest-o%27donnell-clip-%22why-aren%27t-monkeys-still-evolving-into-humans%22 | access-date = September 26, 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In the late 1990s O'Donnell moved back to Washington, D.C., where she continued her advocacy work. In 1998 she published an article in Cultural Dissident entitled "The Case for Chastity".{{cite web|author=Christine O'Donnell |title=The Case for Chastity |date=November 9, 1998 |work=TheCulturalDissident.com |publisher=Brad Keena |url=http://www.bradkeena.com/logs/Christine1.htm |access-date=July 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021008175604/http://www.bradkeena.com/logs/Christine1.htm |archive-date=October 8, 2002 }} In 2003 she wrote an article, "The Women of Middle Earth," for the Catholic Exchange.{{cite web|author=Christine O'Donnell|title=The Women of Middle Earth |date=December 18, 2003|publisher=Catholic Exchange |url=http://catholicexchange.com/the-women-of-middle-earth/|access-date=February 10, 2013}}

In February 2003 O'Donnell moved to Delaware to work for the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI), a non-profit conservative publisher of educational materials and bought a house in Wilmington. In 2004, she filed a complaint against ISI with the EEOC saying that she had been demoted due to gender discrimination. Later, on February 26, 2004, she was fired, and in 2005 she sued ISI in federal court for $6.9 million for wrongful termination, claiming gender discrimination and that her firing was retaliation for talking to the EEOC. She said ISI's actions caused her mental anguish{{Cite news | last = McCormack | first = John | url = http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/citing-mental-anguish-christine-odonnell-sought-69-million-gender-discrimination-lawsuit-again | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100913072548/http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/citing-mental-anguish-christine-odonnell-sought-69-million-gender-discrimination-lawsuit-again | archive-date = September 13, 2010 | title = Citing 'Mental Anguish', Christine O'Donnell Sought $6.95 Million in Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Against Conservative Group | magazine = The Weekly Standard | date = September 2, 2010 | access-date = September 2, 2010}} and were a consequence of "ISI's conservative beliefs".{{cite web | url = http://www.weeklystandard.com/sites/all/files/docs/O%27Donnell%20Complaint%20ISI.PDF | title = Civil Action No. 05-0547 Christine O'Donnell v. Intercollegiate Studies Institute U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware | date = July 1, 2005 | page = 16 | access-date = September 23, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110221210250/http://www.weeklystandard.com/sites/all/files/docs/O%27Donnell%20Complaint%20ISI.PDF | archive-date = February 21, 2011 }} O'Donnell dropped the suit in 2008, stating she could no longer afford an attorney.{{Cite news | url = https://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/biography.php?office=S&state=DE&num=1 | title = Joseph Biden (D) is seeking a seventh term |author= | work=NPR and NewsHour 2008 Election Map US Senate:Delaware | publisher=PBS | date = September 18, 2008 | access-date = September 18, 2010 | archive-date = August 7, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100807024913/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/biography.php?office=S&state=DE&num=1 }}

After leaving ISI, O'Donnell started her own media consulting and marketing company. She founded the Catholic Advocacy Network and again began making media appearances. Between the 2006 and 2008 elections, she did pro bono advocacy work opposing the disconnection of a feeding tube for a young woman who was in a persistent vegetative state.{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14268.html|title=Joe biden's other female foe|date= October 4, 2008|first=Daniel|last=Libit|publisher=Politico|access-date=October 7, 2010}}{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/1742627431.html?FMT=ABS&date=Nov+21%2C+2008|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715101431/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/1742627431.html?FMT=ABS&date=Nov+21,+2008|archive-date=July 15, 2012|title=Parents drop dispute, will take care of woman in coma|author=Sean O'Sullivan|newspaper=The News Journal|location=Wilmington, Delaware|date=November 21, 2008|url-access=subscription }}{{cite web |last=Slajda|first=Rachel |title=Christine O'Donnell's Schiavo Case: 'Life For Lauren'|date=September 24, 2010 |work=TPM|url=http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/09/christine_odonnells_schiavo_case.php |access-date=August 20, 2011}}

File:Return Day 1.jpg, with Senator Tom Carper and other candidates]]

{{See also|2006 United States Senate election in Delaware}}

In 2006, supporters of the anti-abortion movement asked O'Donnell if she wanted to run against Delaware Senator Tom Carper. O'Donnell ran in the Republican primary for the 2006 U.S. Senate election in Delaware.

In a 2006 interview for a campaign profile, O'Donnell told The News Journal that homosexuals have a psychological defect and that "no Homosexuality is an identity adopted through societal factors."{{cite news| last = Sargent| first = Greg| title = Christine O'Donnell said gays suffer from 'identity disorder,' reporter says| date = September 20, 2010| work=The Plum Line| publisher=The Washington Post| url =http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/christine_odonnell_said_gays_s.html| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110927124307/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/christine_odonnell_said_gays_s.html| archive-date =September 27, 2011| access-date = September 20, 2010}} During a primary debate against her Republican opponents, O'Donnell said that China could not be a friend of the U.S. because among other things, it forced women to have abortions and prohibited the reading of the Bible. She also said China was plotting to take over the United States, and that she had classified information which supported her claim.{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/04/ap/politics/main6925904.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101014165627/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/04/ap/politics/main6925904.shtml|archive-date=October 14, 2010|title=O'Donnell said China plotting to take over US|first=Ben|last=Evans|date= October 4, 2010|work=CBS News}}

O'Donnell finished in third place in the Republican primary{{Cite news | url = https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-10-31-420465768_x.htm | title = Biden waging stealth re-election campaign | author = Chase, Randall | agency= Associated Press | newspaper=USA Today | date = October 31, 2008 | access-date = March 26, 2010 }} with 17 percent of the vote, behind winner Jan C. Ting and second-place finisher Michael D. Protack.{{cite web|url=http://electionsncc.delaware.gov/2006p/2006_sw_office.pdf|title=Official Election Results Primary 09/12/06|publisher=State of Delaware Elections System|date=September 15, 2010|access-date=November 20, 2010}}{{Cite news| first=Matthew| last=Jonas | title = Ting, Spivack pass first test | publisher =The News Journal|location=Wilmington, Delaware| date = September 13, 2006}} She then ran in the general election against Ting and incumbent Senator Tom Carper as a write-in candidate, finishing with 11,127 votes, (4 percent of the total votes cast), a number that was considered remarkably large for a write-in and which gave her hope for the 2008 election.

{{See also|2008 United States Senate election in Delaware}}

O'Donnell became the nominee of the Republican Party for the United States Senate in 2008{{Cite news | first = Greg | last = Giroux | title = Franken Primary Win One of Many Key Results From Tuesday's Primaries | url = http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000002946537 | work = CQ Today Online News | date = September 10, 2008 | access-date = September 26, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080912201836/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000002946537 | archive-date = September 12, 2008 | df = mdy-all }} after defeating businessman Tim Smith at the May 3, 2008 state party convention with more than 60 percent of the GOP delegate vote.

O'Donnell's candidacy was endorsed by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, former Delaware Governor Pierre DuPont, and conservative writer and policy advocate David Horowitz. Her general election opponent was the state's longest serving Senator, Joe Biden, who was also running for Vice President on the Obama-Biden ticket. O'Donnell questioned Biden's dual campaigns, claiming that serving his constituents was not important to him and criticizing his unwillingness to participate in debates and candidate forums.{{Cite news | url = https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-11-04-420465768_x.htm | title = Biden wins 7th Senate term but may not serve | author = Nuckols, Ben | agency=Associated Press | newspaper=USA Today | date = November 4, 2008 | access-date = March 26, 2010}}{{Cite news | author = CQ Transcriptions | title = GOP Challenger for Sen. Biden's Delaware Seat Interviewed on CNN's Larry King | url = http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002942083 | work = CQ Today Online News | date = August 28, 2008 | access-date = September 26, 2008 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Opinion polling during the race showed that O'Donnell trailed Biden by a two-to-one margin. In the general election on November 4, 2008, Biden defeated O'Donnell by 65 percent to 35 percent.

O'Donnell's campaign ended the 2008 fiscal year $19,656.29 in debt.{{cite web |url=http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/srssea.shtml |title=Search Campaign Finance Summary Data |publisher=Fec.gov |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006100202/http://fec.gov/finance/disclosure/srssea.shtml |archive-date=October 6, 2008 }}{{Cite news | last = Cherry | first = Amy | url = http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=549306976409 | title = O'Donnell campaign employee: I wasn't paid | publisher = WDEL | date = March 11, 2010 | access-date = March 16, 2010}}

{{See also|2010 United States Senate special election in Delaware}}

Following the 2008 election, Biden resigned his Senate seat to become Vice President of the United States, and Governor Ruth Ann Minner appointed Biden's chief of staff, Ted Kaufman, to serve out the first two years of Biden's six year Senate term. A special election would be held coincident with the 2010 general elections to choose who would fill the Senate seat for the remaining four years. In December 2008, O'Donnell announced that she would run for U.S. Senate again in 2010.{{Cite news | url = http://www.ledgerdelaware.com/articles/2009/02/12/news/doc49943c78b863f784263070.txt | title = O'Donnell wastes no time in announcing Senate candidacy | newspaper=Delaware Business Ledger | date = February 12, 2009 | access-date = February 13, 2009}}{{Dead link|date=September 2010}} O'Donnell said that her biggest mistake in her earlier campaigns was not having enough funds.{{Cite news | url = http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=429190876018 | title = Christine O'Donnell to run for U.S. Senate| publisher =WDEL | date = February 13, 2009 | access-date = February 13, 2009}} In October 2009, she reiterated that she was running despite the entrance into the race of Republican Congressman and former Governor Mike Castle.{{Cite news | last = Gibson | first = Ginger | title = O'Donnell: Won't drop out for Castle | newspaper=The News Journal | date = October 6, 2009 | url =https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/1873451101.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+6%2C+2009&author=GINGER+GIBSON&pub=The+News+Journal&edition=&startpage=n%2Fa&desc=O%27Donnell%3A+Won%27t+drop+out+for+Castle| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120724235439/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/1873451101.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+6%2C+2009&author=GINGER+GIBSON&pub=The+News+Journal&edition=&startpage=n%2Fa&desc=O%27Donnell%3A+Won%27t+drop+out+for+Castle| archive-date =July 24, 2012|access-date = October 7, 2009}}

In January 2010, Democrat Beau Biden, a son of Joe Biden, indicated he would not run, and Castle became the favorite to take the seat.{{Cite news | last = Weinberg | first = Ali | title = Midterm Buzz: Biden His Time | publisher=MSNBC | date = January 25, 2010 | url = http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/01/25/2184967.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100128140607/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/01/25/2184967.aspx | archive-date = January 28, 2010 | access-date = February 3, 2010}}

On March 10, 2010, O'Donnell officially announced her candidacy before a small group of supporters at University of Delaware's Wilmington campus.{{Cite news |url=http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=12118077 |title=O'Donnell Announces Run Against Castle |last=Tucker |first=Jeremy |publisher=WBOC-TV |date=March 11, 2010 |access-date=March 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918220944/http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=12118077 |archive-date=September 18, 2010 |df=mdy }}{{Cite news|url=http://whyy.org/cms/news/government-politics/2010/03/10/odonnell-takes-aim-at-castle-in-senate-campaign-kick-off/32928 |title=O'Donnell takes aim at Castle in Senate campaign kick-off |last=Eichmann |first=Mark |publisher=WHYY-TV |date=March 10, 2010 |access-date=March 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101114211009/http://whyy.org/cms/news/government-politics/2010/03/10/odonnell-takes-aim-at-castle-in-senate-campaign-kick-off/32928 |archive-date=November 14, 2010 |df=mdy }} In her remarks, O'Donnell criticized reckless government spending, said that Castle was the most liberal Republican in the House, and predicted that the Tea Party movement and grassroots anti-incumbent trends would be in her favor.

When a report from The News Journal in March 2010 detailed her personal fiscal difficulties, O'Donnell attributed the problems to misunderstandings and errors. She also said, "I think the fact that I have struggled financially is what makes me so sympathetic."{{Cite news|url=http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2010/03/been-there-vote-for-me.html |title=Been There, Vote For Me |newspaper=CQ Politics |date=March 22, 2010 |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201029184024/https://www.webcitation.org/5u8rVGOGU?url=http://blogs.cqrollcall.com/eyeon2010/2010/03/been-there-vote-for-me.html |archive-date=October 29, 2020 |df=mdy }} Her financial problems became a focal point of establishment Republican attacks.{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2010/08/30/tea-party-endorses-odonnell-in-delaware |title=Tea Party Backs O'Donnell in Delaware |last=Weisman |first=Jonathan |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=August 30, 2010 |access-date=September 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101114161840/http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2010/08/30/tea-party-endorses-odonnell-in-delaware/ |archive-date=November 14, 2010 |df=mdy }} The chair of the state Republican Party, Tom Ross, said, "She's a candidate who runs for office that unfortunately lives off the proceeds."{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/40275.html |title=O'Donnell gets Tea Party backing |last=Catanese |first=David |publisher=Politico |date=July 27, 2010 |access-date=August 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226164101/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/40275.html |archive-date=December 26, 2010 |df=mdy }} Several commentators said the attacks showed elements of sexism.{{cite web|last=Pfau |first=Anna Belle |url=http://thenewagenda.net/2010/09/14/christine-odonnell-todays-delaware-primary |title=Christine O'Donnell & Today's Delaware Primary |publisher=The New Agenda |date=September 14, 2010 |access-date=September 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117061330/http://www.thenewagenda.net/2010/09/14/christine-odonnell-todays-delaware-primary/ |archive-date=November 17, 2011 |df=mdy }}{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/09/22/2010-09-22_christine_odonnell_thrust_into_pit_of_identity_politics_were_crying_sexism_where.html?page=1 |title=Christine O'Donnell thrust into pit of identity politics: We're crying sexism where it doesn't exist |first=S.E. |last=Cupp |work=New York Daily News |date=September 22, 2010 |access-date=September 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925042728/http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/09/22/2010-09-22_christine_odonnell_thrust_into_pit_of_identity_politics_were_crying_sexism_where.html |archive-date=September 25, 2010 |df=mdy }} The Delaware Republican Party sponsored last minute robocalls from former O'Donnell staff members charging that O'Donnell was "no conservative" and was financially irresponsible.{{Cite news | title = Ex-aide: Christine O'Donnell a 'complete fraud' | url = http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42141.html | access-date =September 17, 2010| newspaper=Politico| date = September 14, 2010|first=David |last=Catanese}} O'Donnell responded by saying the attacks on her finances were an insult to Delaware voters.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/christine-odonnell-attacks-on-my-finances-insult-voters/ |title=Christine O'Donnell: Attacks on My Finances Insult Voters |work=CBS News |date=September 14, 2010 |first=David S. |last=Morgan |archive-date=November 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104210042/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20016327-503544.html |url-status=live |df=mdy }}

In the final weeks before the primary, O'Donnell became firmly allied with the Tea Party movement which provided last minute funding to her campaign amounting to more than $250,000, according to Fox News, with the Tea Party Express saying it might spend as much as $600,000 backing O'Donnell.

Castle ignored O'Donnell's candidacy and refused to debate her, calling her dishonest.{{cite web|url=http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100911/NEWS02/9110350/Delaware-politics-Senate-primary-hinges-on-character |title=Delaware politics: Senate primary hinges on character |first=Ginger |last=Gibson |publisher=The News Journal |date=September 11, 2010 |access-date=October 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210045428/http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100911/NEWS02/9110350/Delaware-politics-Senate-primary-hinges-on-character |archive-date=December 10, 2010 |df=mdy }} In early September a political consulting firm hired by O'Donnell released a Web video insinuating that Castle was having a homosexual affair.{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0910/ODonnell_backer_makes_sex_charge_in_Delaware_race.html |title=O'Donnell backer makes sex charge in Delaware race |first=Ben |last=Smith |publisher=Politico|date=September 1, 2010 |access-date=September 16, 2010 |archive-date=September 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100904035336/http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0910/ODonnell_backer_makes_sex_charge_in_Delaware_race.html |df=mdy }} O'Donnell attempted to distance herself from the claim, stating that the consulting firm was no longer working for her campaign. She then appeared on Mark Levin's radio show, accusing Castle of engaging in "unmanly tactics" during the campaign and saying, "this is not a bake-off, put your man-pants on."{{cite web|first=Eric |last=Kleefeld |url=http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/09/odonnell-blasts-castles-un-manly-tactics-audio.php |title=O'Donnell Blasts Castle's 'Un-Manly' Tactics (AUDIO) |publisher=Talking Points Memo |work=TPMDC |date=September 10, 2010 |access-date=September 16, 2010 |archive-date=November 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115142912/http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/09/odonnell-blasts-castles-un-manly-tactics-audio.php |df=mdy }}

National attention brought additional scrutiny of her record, and repeated questions about the accuracy of her statements from national and local political leaders and news media including Karl Rove,{{cite web | date = September 15, 2010 | url = http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42275.html | title = Rove to O'Donnell: Tell the truth | first = Andy| last = Barr| publisher=Politico| access-date = September 16, 2010}} the state's largest newspaper, The News Journal,{{Cite news | url = http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20109080315 | title = GOP is correct to spotlight O'Donnell's problems with the truth| date=September 8, 2010 | first = Ron| last = Williams| publisher =The News Journal|location=Wilmington, Delaware}}{{Cite news | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/2129636161.html?FMT=ABS&date=Sep+04%2C+2010| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120724215332/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/2129636161.html?FMT=ABS&date=Sep+04%2C+2010| archive-date = July 24, 2012| title = Tea party endorsement shows a lack of reason | date = September 4, 2010 |format=Abstract| publisher =The News Journal (Delaware)}} and local conservative radio host and former supporter Dan Gaffney of WGMD radio.{{cite web | url = http://www.wgmd.com/?p=9496 | title = Dan Gaffney Audio: Christine O'Donnell for Senate Interview | publisher = WGMD | date = September 2, 2010 | access-date = September 2, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100906144047/http://www.wgmd.com/?p=9496 | archive-date = September 6, 2010 | df = mdy-all }}{{cite web| last = Catanese| first = David| title = Christine O'Donnell plays defense on radio| date = September 2, 2010| publisher=Politico| url = http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/41716.html| access-date = September 2, 2010}} O'Donnell's responses consisted of correcting the information, brushing it aside, or downplaying the discrepancies.{{cite web | publisher =Weekly Standard | title = Reporters question O'Donnell about Princeton grad school claim | date =September 14, 2010| url = http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/reporters-question-odonnell-about-princeton-grad-school-claim | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100918010915/http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/reporters-question-odonnell-about-princeton-grad-school-claim | archive-date = September 18, 2010 | author = John McCormack}}{{Cite news | url = http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=15B0AD27-18FE-70B2-A804DE63AC249334 | title = Meet Christine O'Donnell... | author = Tim Grieve and Andy Barr | newspaper=Politico| date = September 15, 2010 | access-date = September 17, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100919150753/http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=15B0AD27-18FE-70B2-A804DE63AC249334 | archive-date = September 19, 2010 | df = mdy-all }}

O'Donnell won the September 14, 2010, primary election by six percentage points over Castle,{{Cite news | last = Yellin | first = Jessica | title = Christine O'Donnell wins Delaware GOP Senate primary | publisher=CNN| date = September 14, 2010 | url = http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/14/delaware.senate.primary/index.html | access-date = September 17, 2010}} garnering more than 30,000 votes altogether, and becoming the eighth Tea Party-backed candidate to oust a GOP establishment candidate in a 2010 primary contest.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/09/christine-odonnell-tea-party-shock-gop-establishment-in-delaware.html |title=Christine O'Donnell, Tea Party Shock GOP Establishment in Delaware& |author= |work=ABC News|date=September 14, 2010 |access-date=September 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101102124140/http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/09/christine-odonnell-tea-party-shock-gop-establishment-in-delaware.html |archive-date=November 2, 2010 |df=mdy }} According to The New York Times, her support largely came from the southern part of the state where Republican voters are socially conservative and against gun control.

Following O'Donnell's primary win, Politico published an article entitled "Meet Christine O'Donnell..." that began with the following sentence:

The Republican Party's hopes for winning back the Senate rest on a perennial candidate with a sketchy employment history who has dissembled about her education, defaulted on her student loan and her mortgage, sued a former employer for mental anguish, railed against the evils of masturbation and questioned whether it would have been OK to lie to prevent Nazis from killing Jews during World War II.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2010/09/meet-christine-odonnell-042209|title=Meet Christine O'Donnell ...|first1=Tim|last1=Grieve|first2=Y.|last2=Barr|website=Politico|date=September 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211035705/https://www.politico.com/story/2010/09/meet-christine-odonnell-042209 |archive-date=December 11, 2015 |url-status=live}}

By July 2010, O'Donnell had received endorsements from the Tea Party Express, which called her a "strong voice for conservative constitutionalist principles". She was also endorsed by the Susan B. Anthony List and the Family Research Council.{{cite press release | url = http://www.frcaction.org/frcapacinternal/frc-action-pac-endorses-christine-odonnell-for-senate | title = FRC Action PAC Endorses Christine O'Donnell for Senate| publisher =Family Research Council Action PAC | date = July 27, 2010 | access-date = August 14, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100728221143/http://www.frcaction.org/frcapacinternal/frc-action-pac-endorses-christine-odonnell-for-senate | archive-date=July 28, 2010 | url-status=live}} In the final days before the primary, she received endorsements from the NRA Political Victory Fund, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint,{{cite web | url = http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/nra-demint-endorse-christine-odonnell | title = NRA & DeMint Endorse Christine O'Donnell | first = John| last = McCormack| website = The Weekly Standard | date = September 10, 2010 | access-date = September 16, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100911201226/http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/nra-demint-endorse-christine-odonnell | archive-date=September 11, 2010 }}{{Cite news | url = http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/09/de_sen_odonnell.php | title = DE SEN: O'Donnell Pulls Off Stunning Upset Over Castle | first1=Jeremy P. |last1= Jacobs | first2 = Josh | last2=Kraushaar | website = Hotline On Call | date = September 15, 2010 | access-date = September 15, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100916183157/http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/09/de_sen_odonnell.php | archive-date = September 16, 2010 | df = mdy-all }} Sarah Palin,{{Cite news | url = http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2010/09/09/palin-endorses-o-donnell-in-delaware.aspx | title = Palin Endorses O'Donnell in Delaware | first=David |last=Weigel | author-link=David Weigel | magazine = Slate | date = September 9, 2010 | access-date = September 11, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100910145521/http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2010/09/09/palin-endorses-o-donnell-in-delaware.aspx | archive-date = September 10, 2010 }} and conservative commentators Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Mark Levin.

{{See also|Opinion polling for the 2010 United States Senate elections#Delaware}}

Following her primary victory, O'Donnell urged voters to keep an open mind about the unflattering picture that was being painted of her, and suggested that media reports are not always accurate. She delivered a speech to the Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., on September 17, 2010, saying that anti-American elites were trying to marginalize mainstream, core conservatives.{{cite web| last = O'Donnell| first = Christine| title = Speech by Christine O'Donnell| date = September 17, 2010| publisher = Politico| url = http://www.supportchristine.com/VideoVVSPt1.html| access-date = April 2, 2011}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web| last = Catanese| first = David| title = Christine O'Donnell hits the stage at Values Voter Summit| date = September 17, 2010| publisher = Politico| url = http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42348.html#ixzz0zyROMe6R| access-date = September 19, 2010}}

After winning the primary, O'Donnell began employing staffers from various states, including Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia, and hired a Virginia public affairs firm, Shirley & Banister, that has served major conservative clients.{{cite news|work=The News Journal|date=September 23, 2010|title=Christine O'Donnell's staff to grow after Media Money Blitz|url=http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100923/NEWS02/9230374/Delaware-politics-Christine-O-Donnell-s-staff-to-grow-after-media-money-blitz}} In early October, it was noted that O'Donnell's campaign had raised more money from outside Delaware than within the state, leading to questions of whether out-of-state contributors will have more influence over the general election than Delaware residents.{{cite news|work=The News Journal|date=October 2, 2010|title=O'Donnell Abruptly Flees Spotlight|url=http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20101002/NEWS02/10020356/O-Donnell-abruptly-flees-spotlight}} By September 30, O'Donnell's general election campaign had received nearly $4 million in contributions from all over the country.{{cite news |work=USA Today|date=October 19, 2010 |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2010/10/delaware-candidate-christine-odonnell-questions-church-and-state-separation/1 |title=Delaware candidate Christine O'Donnell questions church and state separation|first=John|last=Fritze|access-date=October 19, 2010}} Those contributions continued despite an October 28 Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll that showed O'Donnell trailing Democrat Chris Coons 36% to 57%.{{cite web |url=http://publicmind.fdu.edu/winsome/final.pdf |title=O'Donnell Winning Tea Party, Losing Delaware |publisher=Fairleigh Dickinson University |date=October 28, 2010 |access-date=August 6, 2013}}

O'Donnell's educational record came under media scrutiny during her general election campaign. Despite her 2006 campaign website describing her as a "graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University," she had not been awarded her bachelor's degree in English literature until September 2010 – 17 years after leaving the school and two weeks before her 2010 Republican primary. O'Donnell's campaign originally credited the delay to financial issues (alleging that her diploma was withheld until she paid off student loans), but later reported that she had finished a final degree requirement during the summer of 2010.{{cite web |last=Catanese |first=David |title=17 years later, O'Donnell earns degree |date=September 3, 2010 |work=Politico|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/41750.html |access-date=April 18, 2011}}

Also, in a 2005 lawsuit, O'Donnell had claimed her employer broke its promise to give her time to pursue a master's degree at Princeton, forcing her to drop out of attending non-degree courses there.{{cite news |work=Federal Court |title=Christine O'Donnell's lawsuit |date=June 30, 2005 |url=http://www.enjoyabaco.com/ODonnellComplaint.pdf |first=Christine |last=O'Donnell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008152337/http://www.enjoyabaco.com/ODonnellComplaint.pdf |archive-date=October 8, 2010 |df=mdy-all }} Journalists confirmed that O'Donnell was never officially enrolled in the university and only took non-degree courses at Princeton, as she had claimed. Other criticisms involved profiles on LinkedIn and MySpace claiming she had studied at Oxford University in England (a spokesperson for O'Donnell confirmed it was a reference to a certificate she obtained from a course at Oxford overseen by the Phoenix Institute and denies it was presented "as a course run by Oxford University"){{cite news|newspaper=PresidentAristotle2010 |title=Christine O'Donnell at Oxford|date=September 29, 2010|url=http://presidentaristotle2010.blogspot.com/2010/09/christine-odonnell-at-oxford-some-notes.html}}{{Unreliable source?|date=August 2011}} and at the Claremont Graduate University in Southern California.{{cite news|newspaper=The Washington Post |title=Another Christine O'Donnell Embellishment |date=September 29, 2010 |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/another_christine_odonnell_emb.html |first=Greg |last=Sargent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101026063635/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/another_christine_odonnell_emb.html |archive-date=October 26, 2010 |df=mdy }} O'Donnell's attendance at the Claremont Institute was confirmed, but a LinkedIn profile listed her as attending the Claremont Graduate University. The MySpace page was presented as dating from 2008, but actually listed her age at 41 years old, thereby dating it from August 2010. O'Donnell responded, "I never established a LinkedIn profile or authorized anyone to do so on my behalf."{{cite news |url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/linkedin-profile-said-odonnell-attended-oxford/ |date=September 29, 2010|title=LinkedIn Profile Said O'Donnell Attended Oxford |first=Janie |last=Lorber |newspaper=The New York Times }}{{cite news|publisher=The Washington Post |title=LinkedIn Responds to O'Donnell |date=September 30, 2010 |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/happy_hour_roundup_98.html |first=Greg |last=Sargent |work=The Plum Line |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015171719/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/happy_hour_roundup_98.html |archive-date=October 15, 2012 |df=mdy }}{{cite news|title=Christine O'Donnell Speaks Out on Oxford Flap |date=September 29, 2010 |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/christine_odonnell_speaks_out.html |first=Greg |last=Sargent |work=The Plum Line |publisher=The Washington Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112191222/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/christine_odonnell_speaks_out.html |archive-date=January 12, 2012 |df=mdy }}

On September 17, 2010, comedian Bill Maher aired a clip of O'Donnell from the October 29, 1999, episode of his old show Politically Incorrect on his current show Real Time with Bill Maher,{{cite news |last=McGreal |first=Chris|title=Christine O'Donnell: I dabbled in witchcraft |date=September 20, 2010 |work=The Guardian|publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited |location=London|url =https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/20/christine-o-donnell-dabbled-witchcraft|access-date=September 20, 2010}} in which O'Donnell said, "I dabbled into witchcraft – I never joined a coven. ... I hung around people who were doing these things... We went to a movie and then had a little midnight picnic on a satanic altar. And I didn't know it."{{cite news|title=Christine O'Donnell Practiced Witchcraft |date=September 17, 2010 |work=Politically Incorrect |publisher=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iWRw3oZdg4&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1 |access-date=April 18, 2011}}{{cite news |last=Mooney |first=Alexander |title=O'Donnell in 1999: I dabbled in witchcraft |date=September 18, 2010 |work=Political Ticker |publisher=CNN|url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/18/o%E2%80%99donnell-in-1999-i-dabbled-in-witchcraft/ |access-date=April 18, 2011 |archive-date=November 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125162922/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/18/o%E2%80%99donnell-in-1999-i-dabbled-in-witchcraft/ }}{{Cite news|last=MacAskill|first=Ewen|title=Christine O'Donnell keeps rightwingers spellbound despite witchcraft claim|date=September 20, 2010|work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/20/christine-odonnell-witchcraft-republican-right|access-date=September 20, 2010|location=London}}{{cite news|title=Christine O'Donnell Condemned Witchcraft|work=Politically Incorrect |publisher=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P33APxgi4kE |access-date=July 5, 2011}} Her admission received widespread media coverage,{{cite news |last=Bauder |first=David |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g4RSQ56a3WTiFTp5aeSm9-hts8MAD9ICFDMG2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924044613/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g4RSQ56a3WTiFTp5aeSm9-hts8MAD9ICFDMG2 |archive-date=September 24, 2010 |title=O'Reilly, Maher both have old O'Donnell footage |agency=Associated Press |date=September 1, 2010 |access-date=September 23, 2010}} and O'Donnell explained that she had been referring to high school experiences.{{Cite news|last=Chase |first=Randall |title=O'Donnell makes light of witchcraft comment |agency=Associated Press |date=September 19, 2010 |publisher=The Buffalo News |url=http://www.buffalonews.com/wire-feeds/24-hour-national-news/article195045.ece |access-date=September 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610220819/http://www.buffalonews.com/wire-feeds/24-hour-national-news/article195045.ece |archive-date=June 10, 2011 |df=mdy }}{{Cite news|last=Stelter|first=Brian|title=Political Cauldron Stirred by Old Video of Candidate|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 19, 2010|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/us/politics/20odonnell.html?_r=1&hpw|access-date=September 20, 2010}}

O'Donnell followed up with a TV campaign ad for the general election in which she declared, "I'm not a witch." This ad inspired many video parodies,{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/20/elvira-christine-odonnell_n_770527.html |title=Elvira Spoofs Christine O'Donnell's 'I'm Not A Witch' Ad |work= HuffPost|date=October 20, 2010 |access-date=December 3, 2010 |first=Katla |last=McGlynn}}{{cite news |url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/im-not-a-witch-the-remix/ |title="I'm Not A Witch" — The Remix|work= The Ca10-2626-10|access-date=December 3, 2010|first=Ashley|last=Parker|date=October 26, 2010}} the most famous of which was a parody by comedian Kristen Wiig on Saturday Night Live.{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/09/kristen-wiig-parodies-chr_n_757116.html |title='SNL' Does The Best Parody Of Christine O'Donnell's 'Not A Witch' Ad Yet|work=HuffPost|last=McGlynn|first=Katia|date=October 10, 2010|access-date=December 3, 2010}} O'Donnell later said that the ad backfired and focused attention on her decade-old statement.{{cite news|url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/21/christine-odonnell-regrets-im-not-a-witch-ad/|title=Christine O'Donnell Regrets 'I'm Not a Witch' Ad|first=Tom|last=Diemer |newspaper=Politics Daily|date=October 21, 2010}} Maher apologized to O'Donnell on his show in 2012 stating, "I know when I brought out the witch tape I made your life hell and I'm sorry about that. ... I gotta say, I don't agree with your ideas but it shouldn't have hung on that stupid witch thing." O'Donnell accepted the apology from Maher and blamed herself for the "I'm not a witch" advertisement.{{Cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2012/09/maher-says-sorry-to-witch-odonnell-080941|title=Maher says sorry to 'witch' O'Donnell|work=Politico|access-date=2017-10-06}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/08/christine-o-donnell-bill-maher_n_1867137.html|title=Christine O'Donnell, Bill Maher Discuss 'Witch' Ad; Maher Apologizes (VIDEO)|last=Lavender|first=Paige|date=2012-09-08|work=HuffPost|access-date=2017-10-06|language=en-US}}

After the September 14, 2010 primary, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) alleged that O'Donnell made false statements on Federal Election Commission filings and illegally used more than $20,000 of her campaign funds as "her very own personal piggy bank" by claiming campaign expenses during a time when she was not a candidate in 2009.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/18/odonnell.ethics/?hpt=T2 |title=Watchdog group: Delaware candidate's spending flat-out illegal |author= |work=CNN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110120234/http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/18/odonnell.ethics/?hpt=T2 |archive-date=November 10, 2012 |date=September 18, 2010 |access-date=September 18, 2010 |df=mdy }} CREW filed a complaint on September 20, 2010, with the FEC and asked the U.S. Attorney in Delaware to investigate these allegations. O'Donnell responded to the accusations, telling reporters there was "no truth to it. I personally have not misused the campaign funds"{{Cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/09/21/2010-09-21_christine_odonnell_tea_party_senate_contender_denies_she_misused_campaign_funds.html |title=Christine O'Donnell, Tea Party Senate contender, denies she misused campaign funds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924151741/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/09/21/2010-09-21_christine_odonnell_tea_party_senate_contender_denies_she_misused_campaign_funds.html |archive-date=September 24, 2010 |first=Sean |last=Alfano |work=New York Daily News|date=September 1, 2010 |access-date=September 1, 2010 |df=mdy }}{{cite web | url = http://www.necn.com/09/21/10/ODonnell-responds-to-allegations-of-misu/landing.html?blockID=314951&feedID=4212 | title = O'Donnell responds to allegations of misused funds| publisher =New England Cable News | date = September 1, 2010 | access-date = September 1, 2010}} and refused to answer specific questions about her finances when asked by CNN.{{Cite news

|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/20/odonnell.funds.allegations/index.html

|title=O'Donnell sidesteps specifics on funds, says 'no truth' to allegations

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}}{{Cite news | title = O'Donnell dodging tough questions? | date = September 20, 2010 | url = http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2010/09/20/ac.tuchman.odonnell.questions.cnn?iref=allsearch | format = Video | publisher=CNN}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} In December 2010, the AP reported that federal authorities had opened a criminal investigation into CREW's complaint.{{cite news |first=Ben |last=Nuckols |title=Feds probe Christine O'Donnell's campaign spending |url=http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/12/29/feds-probe-christine-odonnells-campaign-spending/ |publisher=KPCC |agency=Associated Press |date=December 29, 2010 |access-date=April 20, 2011 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} On July 15, 2011, the Federal US Attorney's Office announced it had closed the criminal investigation of Christine O'Donnell's campaign finances and has referred the case to the FEC for administrative enforcement. Another FEC complaint filed against the O'Donnell campaign by CREW for improper coordination of events and expenses between O'Donnell's 2010 Primary campaign and the Tea Party Express in California was subsequently dismissed by the FEC when the FEC Commissioner's vote was tied 3–3 on whether to proceed with the case, even through the FEC's own lawyers believed that there was sufficient evidence for the FEC to proceed to investigate these allegations against the O'Donnell campaign and the Tea Party Express.{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/16/christine-odonnell-crew-investigation_n_900815.html |title=Christine O'Donnell Lawyer: Feds Should Investigate CREW |publisher=HuffPost|date=July 16, 2011 |access-date=August 8, 2011 |first=Elyse |last=Siegel}}

O'Donnell's year-end campaign financial report to the Federal Election Commission reported that her campaign returned $56,124 of campaign donations between October 2010 and December 2010, and had still retained $654,336.{{cite news |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/article/201102020345/NEWS02/102020323?odyssey=mod_related_topix |title=Delaware politics: Christine O'Donnell refunds $19,713 in last 6 weeks of year | newspaper= The News Journal |publisher=The Gannett Corporation|first= Nicole |last=Gaudiano|date= February 2, 2011 |access-date=February 9, 2011 }}

In 2016, a judge ruled that O'Donnell violated federal law by using campaign funds to pay her personal rent and utility bills in 2010.{{Cite news |url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2016/09/22/judge-christine-odonnell-violated-election-law/90847586/|title=Judge: Christine O'Donnell violated election law|author=Jessica Masulli Reyes |author2=Matthew Albright |newspaper=The News Journal}}

During a debate between O'Donnell and opponent Chris Coons on October 13, 2010, O'Donnell was asked what Supreme Court cases she disagreed with. O'Donnell drew a blank and asked co-moderator Nancy Karibjanian to name one for her, which Karibjanian refused to do.{{cite news|title=Christine O'Donnell caught out in Supreme Court gaffe |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8063048/Christine-ODonnell-caught-out-in-Supreme-Court-gaffe.html|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=October 4, 2010|location=London}}{{cite video |people=Christine O'Donnell, Chris Coons |date=October 3, 2010 |title=CNN Debate: Christine O'Donnell falters on debate question |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQZbxm7ntf4 |publisher=CNN}}{{cite web|last1=Barr|first1=Andy|title=O'Donnell can't name SCOTUS case|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2010/10/odonnell-cant-name-scotus-case-043590|website=Politico|access-date=5 June 2016|date=2010-10-14}}

In an October 19, 2010, debate at the Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, O'Donnell challenged Coons on the topic of the separation of church and state, asking, "Where in the Constitution is separation of church and state?"{{cite web|last1=Barr|first1=Andy|title=O'Donnell questions separation of church, state |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2010/10/odonnell-questions-separation-of-church-state-043826|website=Politico|access-date=5 June 2016|date=2010-10-19}} After laughter from the audience, Coons responded, "The First Amendment establishes the separation and the fact that the federal government shall not establish any religion, and decisional law by the Supreme Court over many, many decades clarifies and enshrines that there is a separation of church and state that our courts and laws must respect". O'Donnell replied, "Let me just clarify. You're telling me that separation of church and state is found in the First Amendment?" Coons responded, "Government shall make no establishment of religion" (a slight misquotation of the text of the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion").{{cite web|last1=Madison|first1=Lucy |title=Christine O'Donnell: 'Where in the Constitution is the Separation of Church and State?'|website=CBS News |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/christine-odonnell-where-in-the-constitution-is-the-separation-of-church-and-state/|access-date=5 June 2016|date=2010-10-21}} O'Donnell asked, "That's in the First Amendment?"{{cite news|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1010/19/acd.02.html |title=ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES |work=CNN|date=October 19, 2010 |access-date=August 20, 2011}}

During the debate, O'Donnell criticized Coons for agreeing with the United States Supreme Court that teaching creationism in the public schools violates the Constitution.{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2010/10/19/odonnell_questions_separation_of_church_state/|title=O'Donnell questions separation of church, state|agency=Associated Press|first=Ben|last=Evans|date=October 19, 2010|work=The Boston Globe|access-date=October 19, 2010}} She also stated that Coons' belief that the theory of evolution should be taught in public schools was an example of how he believes in big government mandates and "imposing...beliefs on the local schools". O'Donnell was asked whether she supported the repeal of the Fourteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. She knew that the Seventeenth Amendment concerned the direct election of U.S. senators by popular vote and said she would not repeal it, but could not recall the other two.

In the week prior to the general election, the talk radio station WDEL reported that O'Donnell and her campaign manager had threatened to sue if it released a video of an interview she gave at the station.{{cite news |url=http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2010/10/29/us-senate-candidate-odonnell-threatened-radio-station-over-interview/ |title=Senate candidate O'Donnell threatened radio station over interview |work=The Spy Report |publisher=Media Spy|date=October 29, 2010|access-date=October 29, 2010}}{{cite news |url=http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=427813076639 |title=O'Donnell campaign apologizes to WDEL |publisher=WDEL|date=October 27, 2010|access-date=October 29, 2010}}{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/christine-odonnell-camp-apologizes-to-radio-station-for-lawsuit-threat/ |title=Christine O'Donnell Camp Apologizes to Radio Station for Lawsuit Threat |work=CBS News|date=October 27, 2010|access-date=October 29, 2010 |first=Lucy |last=Madison}} The campaign manager, Matt Moran, was alleged to have threatened to "crush WDEL" with a lawsuit. The O'Donnell campaign subsequently apologized, saying that the incident had been the result of a misunderstanding.

A July 2010 hypothetical match-up poll by Rasmussen showed O'Donnell running ahead of Chris Coons by a margin of 2 points (41 to 39 percent).{{Cite news |url=http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/delaware/election_2010_delaware_senate |title=Election 2010: Delaware Senate|publisher=Rasmussen Reports|date=July 15, 2010}}

Post-primary polls found O'Donnell trailing Coons by 15%,{{cite news |last=Stirewalt |first=Chris |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-polls-track-tea-party-influence-in-5-battleground-states |title=Fox News Polls Track Tea Party Influence in 5 Battleground States |date=September 1, 2010 |access-date=September 23, 2010}} 9%,{{cite web |date=September 27, 2010|publisher=Rasmussen Report |title=Election 2010: Delaware Senate|access-date=November 1, 2010 |url=http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/delaware/delaware_senate_possible_castle_write_in_drops_coons_d_below_50_against_o_donnell_r}} 17%,See: "[http://www.delawareonline.com/section/VideoNetwork?bctid=627026775001#/Fairleigh%2DDickinson+University+releases+poll+on+Senate+race/627026775001 Fairleigh-Dickinson University releases poll on Senate race]" DelawareOnline, 2010-10-6, retrieved February 7, 2011; or "[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/desenate/ Fallen Castle Beats Coons: But Coons Leading Triumphant O'Donnell]" Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind, October 6, 2010. Retrieved 2011-02-07. 19%,{{cite news|url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/13/cnntime-poll-odonnell-down-19-points-in-delaware-senate-battle/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101016101207/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/13/cnntime-poll-odonnell-down-19-points-in-delaware-senate-battle/ |archive-date=October 16, 2010 |title=CNN/Time Poll: O'Donnell down 19 points in Delaware Senate battle|date=October 13, 2010|work=CNN}} 11%,"{{cite web |publisher=Rasmussen Reports|access-date=November 1, 2010|date=October 15, 2010 |url=http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/delaware/election_2010_delaware_senate|title=Election 2010: Delaware Senate Delaware Senate: Coons (D) Still Posts Double-Digit Lead Over O'Donnell (R)}} and 10%,{{cite web|url=http://www.monmouth.edu/polling/admin/polls/MUP37_DE_2.pdf|title=Delaware: O'Donnell Cuts Coons' Edge: Senate margin now 10 points; Little change in House race|work=Monmouth University Poll|publisher=Monmouth University|location=West Long Branch, NJ|date=October 29, 2010|access-date=October 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103115505/http://www.monmouth.edu/polling/admin/polls/MUP37_DE_2.pdf|archive-date=November 3, 2010|df=mdy-all}} respectively.

On November 2, 2010, O'Donnell lost the general election to Coons by a margin of 57% to 40%.

O'Donnell has said she did not believe in regulating private sexual behavior. O'Donnell stated that if elected to the Senate, she would base her political actions on the Constitution rather than her personal beliefs. She specifically disavowed her 1996 anti-masturbation stance, saying "I was a pundit. I was very passionate in my 20s and wanted to share my beliefs."

O'Donnell has identified herself as a member of the "values movement",{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/News/christine-odonnell-homosexuality-identity-disorder/story?id=11681981 |first=Devin |last=Dwyer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923023149/https://abcnews.go.com/News/christine-odonnell-homosexuality-identity-disorder/story?id=11681981 |archive-date=September 23, 2010 |title=Christine O'Donnell: Homosexuality an 'Identity Disorder' |work=ABC News |date=September 20, 2010 |access-date=September 20, 2010 |df=mdy}} and supports government restrictions on abortion care.{{cite web|first=Keith|last=Fournier|url=http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=38269&wf=rsscol|title=Pro-Life Christine O'Donnell Defeats Anti-Life Mike Castle in Delaware Republican Primary|work=Catholic Online|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920003559/http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=38269&wf=rsscol|archive-date=September 20, 2011|publisher=Catholic.org|date=September 15, 2010|access-date=September 20, 2010|df=mdy-all}} She opposes abortion, including in cases of rape and incest, but if the woman was otherwise going to die, she would allow family members to decide which life to save.{{cite web|last=Lopez |first=Luisita |url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/09/17/christine-odonnell-no-tax-hikes-no-abortion-no-masturbation/ |title=Christine O'Donnell: No Tax Hikes, No Abortion, No Masturbation Ban |date=September 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118010851/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/09/17/christine-odonnell-no-tax-hikes-no-abortion-no-masturbation/ |archive-date=November 18, 2010 |publisher=PoliticsDaily.com |access-date=September 19, 2010 |df=mdy}} O'Donnell opposes human embryonic stem cell research,{{Cite news |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 17, 2010 |title=O'Donnell to Delaware Voters: Keep an open mind |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/17/AR2010091702012.html?hpid=topnews |first=Sandhya |last=Somashekhar |access-date=September 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120210021/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/17/AR2010091702012.html?hpid=topnews |archive-date=November 20, 2010 |df=mdy-all }} human cloning, and research into cloning monkey embryos.{{Cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/is-cloning-monkeys-morally-wrong |title=Is Cloning Monkeys Morally Wrong? |work=The O'Reilly Factor |publisher=Fox News|date=November 16, 2007 |access-date=September 17, 2010}} In 2007 on The O'Reilly Factor, O'Donnell expressed her moral concerns about stem cell research, and said, "American scientific companies are cross-breeding humans and animals and coming up with mice with fully functioning human brains. So they're already into this experiment."{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/roughsketch/2010/09/christine_odonnell_on_human_mi.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709075449/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/roughsketch/2010/09/christine_odonnell_on_human_mi.html |archive-date=July 9, 2011 |newspaper=The Washington Post |title=Christine O'Donnell on human mice, lying to Nazis, and the women of Middle Earth}}

O'Donnell has vowed that she will never vote to increase taxes.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-npEhuweIyA|title=Town Hall Meeting w/ Christine O'Donnell in Delaware |date=November 2009|publisher=YouTube |access-date=September 16, 2010}} She has supported a balanced budget amendment,{{cite web |url=http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Christine_O%60Donnell.htm |title=Christine O'Donnell on the Issues |publisher=OnTheIssues.org |access-date=September 23, 2010}}{{cite web |last=Welch |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Welch |url=http://reason.com/blog/2010/09/15/so-what-did-christine-odonnell |title=So What Did Christine O'Donnell Run On? – Hit & Run |work=Reason |publisher=Reason.com |date=September 15, 2010 |access-date=September 16, 2010}} opposed Congressional earmarks, and supported a simplification of the tax code.{{cite web |url=http://christine2010.com/issues |title=Issues |publisher=Christine O'Donnell for U.S. Senate official campaign site |date=September 15, 2010 |access-date=September 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001002306/http://christine2010.com/issues/ |archive-date=October 1, 2010 }}{{better source needed|date=December 2021}}

O'Donnell has said that Democrats have prevented the U.S. from attaining energy independence by curtailing the drilling of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. She has supported the building of more refineries, as well as the use of Delaware's agricultural products in gasoline.{{cite web |url=http://www.ontheissues.org/International/Christine_O%60Donnell_Energy_+_Oil.htm |title=Christine O'Donnell on Energy & Oil |publisher=OnTheIssues.org |access-date=September 23, 2010}}{{better source needed|date=December 2021}} She opposes cap and trade legislation.{{cite news |last=Phillips |first=Michael M. |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704858304575498090795879052?mod=googlenews_wsj |title=Longing to Crash the Tea Party |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=September 18, 2010|access-date=September 17, 2010}}

O'Donnell stated that if elected to the U.S. Senate, her first priority would be to vote to repeal the Obamacare legislation enacted by Congress in 2010.{{cite web |url=http://defundit.org/?page_id=6 |title=Pledge to DeFund Obamacare! |publisher=DefundIt.org |access-date=September 16, 2010 |archive-date=December 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205143825/http://defundit.org/?page_id=6 }}{{better source needed|date=December 2021}} She signed the Tea Party activists' "Contract from America,"{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tea-party-activists-unveil-contract-america/story?id=10376437 |title=Tea Party Activists Unveil 'Contract from America' |first=Teddy|last=Davis|work=ABC News |date=April 15, 2010 |access-date=September 26, 2010}} which pledged to replace Obamacare with a health insurance system that is "competitive, open, and transparent free-market."{{cite web |last=Graves |first=Scott W |url=http://www.thecontract.org/the-contract-from-america/ |title=The Contract from America |publisher=The Liberty Lab |access-date=September 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118100330/http://www.thecontract.org/the-contract-from-america/ |archive-date=November 18, 2010 }}

O'Donnell has favored increasing penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants.{{cite web |url=http://www.ontheissues.org/International/Christine_O%60Donnell_Immigration.htm |title=Christine O'Donnell on Immigration |publisher=OnTheIssues.org |access-date=September 23, 2010}}{{better source needed|date=December 2021}} She has supported raising the age for receiving Social Security benefits.{{Cite news|last=Mascaro|first=Lisa|title=Delaware's O'Donnell seeks to recast herself in Senate campaign|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=September 1, 2010|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-sep-19-la-na-odonnell-20100919-story.html |access-date=November 21, 2010}}

In reply to a 2010 question as to whether she would support Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky as the Republican leader of the Senate, O'Donnell shrugged and said, "I wouldn't not support him".

In December 2010, O'Donnell announced the formation of a political action committee (PAC) called "ChristinePAC" to address health care and tax issues.{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/08/christine-pac-christine-odonnell-political-action-committee_n_793634.html |title='Christine PAC': Christine O'Donnell Plans Political Action Committee |access-date=February 9, 2011 |date=December 8, 2010 |work=HuffPost}} Paperwork for the PAC was filed with the Federal Election Commission in January 2011. The filing indicated that the PAC would not be used to fund candidates for federal office.{{cite news |url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/18/odonnell-forms-christinepac/?partner=rss&emc=rss |title=Christine O'Donnell Starts Her Own PAC|work=The Caucus – The New York Times|date=January 18, 2011|first=Michael D. |last= Shear |access-date=February 9, 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://query.nictusa.com/pdf/607/11030540607/11030540607.pdf#navpanes=0 |title=ChristinePAC Filing with the Federal Election Commission |access-date=February 9, 2011 |date=January 3, 2011 |format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221210250/http://query.nictusa.com/pdf/607/11030540607/11030540607.pdf#navpanes=0 |archive-date=February 21, 2011 }} In a letter to supporters on February 8, 2011, O'Donnell stated that her PAC would allow her "to counter attack left-wing groups, fight the liberal media and support conservative candidates against the liberal-controlled GOP establishment".{{cite web|first=Ben|last=Evans |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=12867551 |title=O'Donnell Claims She Was Obama's Top Opponent |work=ABC News|date=February 8, 2011 |access-date=August 19, 2011}}

In 2011, O'Donnell published Troublemaker: Let's Do What It Takes To Make America Great Again.{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/christine-odonnell-book-troublemaker-excerpted/story?id=14310418|title=Christine O'Donnell Book 'Troublemaker' Excerpted|website=ABC News}} In August 2011, O'Donnell appeared on Piers Morgan Tonight to promote the book, but ended the interview after host Piers Morgan questioned her about gay marriage.{{Cite journal|first=Chris|last=Richardson|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2011/0818/Christine-O-Donnell-walks-off-Piers-Morgan-for-being-rude-VIDEO|title=Christine O'Donnell walks off Piers Morgan for being 'rude' [VIDEO]|date=August 18, 2011|journal=Christian Science Monitor}}

{{As of|2015|02}}, O'Donnell was employed as a columnist for The Washington Times.{{Cite web | url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/staff/christine-odonnell/ | title=Christine O'Donnell | newspaper=The Washington Times | access-date=19 October 2016 }}

In a March 2016 CNN appearance, O'Donnell spoke out against Donald Trump. O'Donnell stated that she could not tolerate Trump as a Republican presidential nominee, accused him of "inciting riots", and added that she could not understand why evangelical leaders supported him.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/17/politics/christine-odonnell-donald-trump-bash-return/index.html|title=Christine O'Donnell on Donald Trump: 'He's not actually doing anything except inciting riots'|first=Theodore|last=Schleifer|date=March 17, 2016|website=CNN}} Trump would later go on to be the party nominee for the next three elections.

O'Donnell was single as of 2010.

In October 2007 O'Donnell stopped paying the mortgage of her Wilmington house and the mortgage company obtained a judgment against her in the spring of 2008 for $90,000. The house was to be sold at a sheriff's auction in August 2008 when she sold it the month prior to her Senate campaign to an attorney who was also her boyfriend at the time.{{cite web | url = http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/09/20/christine_odonnell_expenses | title = Ex-aide: Christine O'Donnell lived off campaign funds:A watchdog group claims that the Tea Party's favorite Senate candidate broke the law | first = Mark| last = Benjamin| work =Salon | date = September 20, 2010 | access-date = September 20, 2010}}{{cite web|work=Salon|date=September 23, 2010|title= So, Did Christine O'Donnell Break the Law?|url= http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/09/23/christine_o_donnell_law|first=Mark|last=Benjamin}}

The day O'Donnell filed to run for Senate, her tax records were accessed by a Delaware state employee.{{cite news |first=Rachael|last=Bade |title=IRS watchdog to investigate Christine O'Donnell claim |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/irs-watchdog-to-investigate-christine-donnell-claim-94514.html |newspaper=Politico |date=July 20, 2013 |access-date=December 26, 2014 }}
{{cite news |first=Jonathan|last=Starkey |title=O'Donnell tax information possibly 'misused' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/19/odonnell-tax-info-possibly-misused/2568687/ |newspaper=USA Today |date=July 19, 2013 |access-date=December 26, 2014 }} Records of the access were destroyed according to officials of the State of Delaware.{{cite news |title=Did the IRS Sink Tea Party Candidate O'Donnell's 2010 Campaign? |url=http://insider.foxnews.com/2013/07/24/christine-odonnell-irs-snooped-my-tax-records-issued-lien-error |work=Fox News |date=July 24, 2014 |access-date=December 26, 2014 }} The same day, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) filed a lien in 2010 (on the day she announced her run for the open U.S. Senate seat), on the house that O'Donnell had not owned for two years, claiming that O'Donnell owed $11,744 in back taxes and penalties as a result from a formerly owned house. O'Donnell posted documents on her website showing that the lien was a mistake, as the audit was not yet complete and there was not yet any final determination of whether she owed any further taxes or not,{{cite web | url = https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/08/christine-odonnell-the-next-tea-party-surprise/62326 | title = Christine O'Donnell: The Next Tea Party Surprise?| publisher =The Atlantic | date = August 31, 2010 | access-date = September 16, 2010 }} and noted that the IRS agent handling the matter claimed he was perplexed by the agency's actions. The lien was later removed, as the IRS said it was an error caused by a computer glitch. O'Donnell believes she was politically targeted.{{cite news |first=Ben|last=Wolfgang |title=More safeguards needed to protect personal tax information: federal audit |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/21/audit-safeguards-needed-protect-personal-tax-info/?page=all |newspaper=Washington Times |date=October 21, 2014 |access-date=December 26, 2014 }}
{{cite news |first=Christine |last=O'Donnell |title=My IRS tax records were breached, misused against me – and it can happen to you, too |url=https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/my-irs-tax-records-were-breached-misused-against-me-and-it-can-happen-to-you-too/ |newspaper=Fox News |date=March 5, 2014 |access-date=December 26, 2014 }} In 2010 campaign finance reports, she listed herself as self-employed.

In November 2014, the IRS placed another lien on O'Donnell's accounts, claiming she owed $30,000 from a house transaction. O'Donnell disputed the lien, and was informed it was an error, and her account would be restored. The lien was removed but O'Donnell claims the IRS also emptied her account before unfreezing it and said that as of Christmas Day 2014 the funds had not been returned.{{cite news |first=John|last=Solomon |title=IRS mistakenly penalizes Christine O'Donnell a second time, placed levy on bank accounts |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/25/christine-odonnell-tea-party-figure-says-irs-mista/#! |newspaper=Washington Times |date=December 25, 2014 |access-date=December 26, 2014 }}{{update inline|date=October 2015}}

Raised as a Catholic, O'Donnell found her interest in her family religion waning during her teenage years while she considered various beliefs and searched for spiritual truth. As noted above, on October 29, 1999, in an interview for Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, O'Donnell stated that she had "dabbled into witchcraft".{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iWRw3oZdg4|title=Christine O'Donnell Practiced Witchcraft (BEST QUALITY)|date=September 17, 2010 |via=www.youtube.com}}

Originally a political liberal who believed in abortion rights, O'Donnell has said she experienced an epiphany at age 21 when she saw graphic descriptions and pictures in medical journals of how an abortion is performed. "There's only truth and not truth," O'Donnell said she realized at that moment. "You're either very good or evil." She dropped her acting aspirations, began thinking about moral issues, and became an evangelical Christian, due to the appeal of the moral certainty she felt the movement offered.[http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=38269 Pro-Life Christine O'Donnell Defeats Anti-Life Mike Castle in Delaware Republican Primary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926080543/http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=38269 |date=September 26, 2013 }}, Deacon Keith Fournier, September 15, 2010, "Christine is a Catholic Christian and a consistent conservative who gets it." She chose to live a chaste life, began espousing sexual abstinence, and joined the College Republicans.{{Cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/us/politics/16odonnell.html | title = Rebel Republican Marching on, With Baggage | last1 = Steinhauer | first1 = Jennifer | last2 = Rutenberg | first2 = Jim | newspaper=The New York Times | date = September 15, 2010 | access-date = September 15, 2010}}{{cite news| url =http://mobile.app.com/detail.jsp?key=378029&rc=ne&full=1| title =Delaware Tea Party candidate Christine O'Donnell grew up in NJ| access-date =September 19, 2010|author=| newspaper =Asbury Park Press| quote =She became an evangelical Christian, a departure from her relatively lax Catholic upbringing.| df =mdy-all}}{{dead link|date=January 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

In a 1998 interview, O'Donnell said: "We took the Bible and prayer out of public schools. Now we're having weekly shootings. We had the '60s sexual revolution, and now people are dying of AIDS."{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFisw16di3w |title=Politically Incorrect August 1998 Part 1 of 2 Eddie Izzard Christine O'Donnell |publisher=YouTube |date=June 21, 2009 |access-date=August 6, 2013}} O'Donnell identifies as a young earth creationist, and in 2011, on the subject of evolution, she said, "You know what, evolution is a myth... Why aren't monkeys still evolving into humans?"{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/25/christine-odonnell-evolution-monkeys_n_739131.html |title=Christine O'Donnell: 'Evolution Is A Myth. Why Aren't Monkeys Still Evolving Into Humans?' (VIDEO) |publisher=HuffPost|first=Nicholas |last=Graham |date=September 25, 2011 |access-date=August 6, 2013}}{{Cite web|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2010/09/the_gops_delaware_senate_nomin.html|title=GOP's Delaware Senate Nominee Christine O'Donnell Not a Big Fan of Evolution|website=New York Intelligencer|date=September 15, 2010 }}

In 2010, O'Donnell stated that she was open to attending both Catholic and Protestant services.{{Cite news |last=Hartman |first=Rachel Rose |title=Who is tea party sensation Christine O'Donnell |date=September 15, 2010 |publisher=Yahoo! News |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100915/el_yblog_upshot/who-is-tea-party-sensation-christine-odonnell |access-date=September 1, 2010}} In an interview on September 4, 2011, for Florida Daily NewsMakers with Jeff Lytle, she stated that she was a devout and practicing Catholic.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hbogo.com/#home/video&assetID=GOROSTGP36782?videoMode=embeddedVideo?showSpecialFeatures=false/|title=Real Time with Bill Maher|website=HBO}}{{failed verification|date=December 2021}}

• O'Donnell, Christine (2011). Troublemaker: Let's Do What It Takes to Make America Great Again, St. Martin's Press, {{ISBN|0-312-64305-5}}.

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{{Portal|Biography}}

{{Wikinews|Tea Party-endorsed Christine O'Donnell wins Delaware Senate primary election}}

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• {{IMDb name|2916120}}
• [http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/alsorun.php?cid=N00028769&cycle=2006 Campaign contributions] at OpenSecrets.org (2006)
• [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=DES2&cycle=2010 Campaign contributions] at OpenSecrets.org (2010)
• [http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0918/Class-as-a-way-of-understanding-Christine-O-Donnell-and-the-tea-party Class as a way of Understanding Christine O'Donnell and the Tea Party] by The Christian Science Monitor
• [https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129862743&ps=cprs Stunning Primary Season Reaches A Stunning End] by NPR
• [http://www.macmillanspeakers.com/christineodonnell Macmillan Speakers Bureau profile]
• {{C-SPAN|40691}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Odonnell, Christine}}

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