The latest Tea party candidate to put a scare into the Republican Party is Irish American Christine O'Donnell (41), who is running in Delaware in the Republican primary against odds on favorite Michael Castle.

Castle is a former governor and now a congressman and is a likely shoo-in if he wins the Republican primary.

The seat is considered a definite Republican pick up in November, replacing Joe Biden, but suddenly O'Donnell has muddied the waters.

Given what happened in Alaska, where Lisa Murkowski was upended by a tea party outsider Joe Miller, the Delaware GOP officials are now paranoid that it might happen again.

They have unleashed a barrage of negative TV ads against O'Donnell who, however, has the strong backing of the Tea Party.

O'Donnell is a conservative Catholic known for her vocal opposition to abortion, pornography, and extramarital sex.

She certainly seems to have her share of problems. Her house was foreclosed on, she has had disputes over numerous unpaid bill.

She has a far-right resume that may not attract the more centrist GOP voter in Delaware.

However, it is an interesting indication of the times that she is even being taken so seriously by the Delaware GOP.

In this year of grassroots revolution who knows what might happen.