GOP backs off, allocates token amount to Delaware's O'Donnell

A statement from the NRSC chairman, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex.:

“Let there be no mistake: The National Republican Senatorial Committee – and I personally as the committee’s chairman – strongly stand by all of our Republican nominees, including Christine O’Donnell in Delaware.

“I reached out to Christine this morning, and as I have conveyed to all of our nominees, I offered her my personal congratulations and let her know that she has our support. This support includes a check for $42,000 – the maximum allowable donation that we have provided to all of our nominees – which the NRSC will send to her campaign today.

“We remain committed to holding Democrat nominee New Castle County Executive Chris Coons accountable this November, as we inform voters about his record of driving his county to the brink of bankruptcy and supporting his party’s reckless spending policies in Washington.

“In the weeks ahead, we will decide where to best allocate additional financial resources among the large number of competitive races at stake this November. While it’s not in Republicans’ interest to advertise our spending strategy to our opponents, it’s worth noting that just yesterday, the NRSC’s first independent expenditure ad aired in support of Dr. Rand Paul’s campaign in Kentucky, where we firmly believe that he will win in November.

The mention of the committee’s advertising for Rand Paul is key to the entire announcement. The message is that the NRSC has no problem backing anti-establishment conservatives, but it probably doesn’t want to spend millions backing O’Donnell, whose personal problems are just too great. The $42,000 donation is something, but the NRSC’s role in Senate races is usually much greater than donations to a candidate.

This should be viewed as an attempt to quell a rebellion among the base.