COOPER: Well, Alex, if she does win the Republican Party nomination, it does say -- does it say much about the power of Sarah Palin? I mean, how much do you think she would owe that victory to Sarah Palin?

CASTELLANOS: Oh, I don't think -- I think this is much bigger than Sarah Palin.

Republican primaries like this one, closed, are a little bit like private clubs. Only Republicans get to vote. So, even if it's Delaware, a left-of-center state, you can still have a very right- leaning primary. And that's what you have here.

Now, the left has the blogosphere. The right has the Tea Party. And they're a little bit like the lines on the side of the road. You're glad you're there. They tell you how far you can go, but you don't necessarily want to drive there all the time.

I do think the Tea Party's detriment, their -- the liability of the Tea Party is overstated by the media. Tea Party candidates are running ahead in places like Colorado. Ron Johnson is running even with Russ Feingold.

So, the Tea Party -- if you ask Americans, hey, do you agree with the Tea Party, 60 percent say yes. And it's because of Washington. This is an anti-Washington election. So, don't count these candidates out yet.

COOPER: So -- so, you think she could still win in that state, even if she gets the Republican nomination?

CASTELLANOS: Oh, I think she could, but I think it's -- Paul is right. It's much tougher. In a general election, it's not a private club. And it is a left-of-center state, and it would be much tougher. There's no question.

But, you know, here's what Republicans say. What good would it do us to have an Arlen Specter in the Senate? And that's the way many Republicans up there look at Mike Castle. You know, we had to ship Arlen Specter back over to the Democrats, where he was much more comfortable. What good would it do to try to build a new Republican Senate majority around that?