Written by Ford O'Connell
In case you missed the news (and you probably did), former U.S. Senate candidate and tea party activist Christine O’Donnell endorsed Mitt Romney for president on Tuesday night.
According to O’Donnell, her endorsement of Romney “cam[e] down to trust” among other items.
It’s hard to see how can anyone within the tea party or the Republican Party can trust O’Donnell given that she has been nothing short of a bad circus sideshow since she captured the 2010 U.S. Senate GOP primary in Delaware.
To be perfectly honest, everything about this endorsement is just wrong on so many levels.
While it is true that Romney had the guts to endorse O’Donnell’s failed Senate bid, it is quite clear that she is looking to do more than just repay a political favor.
When asked by Fox News’ Sean Hannity if she plans on running for office again, O’Donnell responded “most likely, probably.”
Apparently, O’Donnell figures that if she ties her name to Romney’s bid, she may be afforded the opportunity to refloat her sunken political career – particularly if Romney wins the GOP nomination and the White House.
My inner-Karl Rove tells me that Team Romney will think twice before allowing O’Donnell to represent the campaign in an official capacity.
To be fair to Romney, candidates cannot always help who endorses them, but one other glaring item caught my eye – Team Romney seemed to be touting the O’Donnell endorsement as a sign that the campaign is able to connect with Republicans beyond establishment circles.
Mitt Romney may still have the best shot at winning the Republican presidential nomination, particularly from a fundraising and organizing perspective, but Romney will need a lot more than an O’Donnell endorsement to break through the anti-Romney voting bloc.
Ford O’Connell is the chairman of CivicForumPAC, the editor of The Political Quarterback blog and an advisor to conservative candidates.