The O'Donnell Campaign Ramps Up

Some members of a GOP establishment that once shunned tea party favorite Christine O'Donnell are getting behind her now that she has won the Republican Senate primary, offering help in the form of cash and experienced staffers.

A young spokeswoman who has been thinking of going back to college is no longer handling media calls. Instead, reporters are referred to a public relations firm run by longtime GOP operative Craig Shirley, who has done communications work for the Republican National Committee and a political action committee that spent $14 million to help re-elect Ronald Reagan.

O'Donnell is also getting help from Tom Sullivan, a health care industry executive who worked for the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee in 1990 and later as a political consultant, with clients such as former Republican congressman Dick Armey.

"We will be adding organization, but will stay lean and mean to avoid overstaffing," said Sullivan.

O'Donnell was running a shoestring operation — much as she did in two previous losing Senate bids — before an injection of tea party support and cash propelled her to a Sept. 14 primary upset over Castle.

Now Russ Murphy, whose 9-12 Delaware Patriots played a role in O'Donnell's primary win, expects opponents to waste little time accusing her of being a sellout as she tries to enlist outside help.

But he believes O'Donnell's supporters are pragmatic and he noted with approval her cancellation of two national Sunday talk show appearances in favor of spending time with them in Delaware.

"I think that said a lot to the people," Murphy said.

Extra help can't come soon enough for campaign manager Matt Moran, who sounded weary Sunday as O'Donnell worked the crowd at a Sussex County GOP picnic.

"It's myself, Christine, and a handful of people who have never been political before," said Moran, who worked in 2009 for Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, who lost a closely watched race for New York's 23rd Congressional district. He said he got involved with O'Donnell because he believes in what she is doing.

"I hate politics; I swear to God," he said. "I only get involved when I know I can make a difference. This thing's a lot bigger than all of us."

"It's all evolving into a top-tier Senate campaign," he said. "We're interviewing a lot of people. It's a very rapid ramp-up."

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