Christine O'Donnell, Washington Insider?

Christine O'Donnell is not a Washington political insider, and in fact her lack of a polished, Washington-friendly resume has earned her scorn from people who are Washington political insiders. She does not seem like someone who would fit in.

But that's just what Democrats are claiming, as they take perhaps an unexpected angle in attacking her. Hotline OnCall's Jeremy Jacobs reports on the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's ad campaign against O'Donnell:

The DSCC has gone up with a new ad in Delaware attacking Christine O'Donnell (R), but it's not what you're thinking. The ad doesn't hit O'Donnell for offbeat personal statements (and most recently, her past dabbling in witchcraft), but, rather, for her spending habits.

"We don't know a lot about Christine O'Donnell. But here's what we do know," the narrator says. "She'll fit right in, in Washington. O'Donnell spends money she doesn't have. Hired employees she didn't pay. Stiffed businesses. Didn't pay her taxes."

One would expect the DSCC to paint O'Donnell as a nutjob who's out of step with the mainstream of the state: that's basically what the Mike Castle campaign essentially said about her in its primary against O'Donnell, and that's what Harry Reid's campaign is doing in Nevada in the race against Tea Partier Sharron Angle.

Here the DSCC has it both ways. Call attention to her financial troubles (a staple of the anti-O'Donnell messaging campaign in the primary) and tie her to Washington at the same time.