Cornyn: NRSC Aides Don't Speak For Me - O'Donnell is GOP Nominee; Not Sure She Can Win

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, made one thing clear Wednesday, those aides in his National Republican Senatorial Committee office did not speak for him when they told Fox and other news organizations that Delaware GOP primary winner Christine O'Donnell would receive no help from his group.

"You've now come straight to the horse's mouth. I don't know what those statements were. They didn't come from me," Cornyn said emphatically and promising O'Donnell in a personal phone call that a $42,000 check was on its way.

"I congratulated her this morning, and I told her as the nominee of the Republican party, she would get the unqualified support of the National Republican Senatorial Committee," Cornyn recounted, adding that he also invited O'Donnell to Washington later this week for meetings to figure out how the NRSC can do more, particularly in the fundraising department, an area where O'Donnell definitely could use some help.

But Cornyn would not go so far as to predict that O'Donnell can win against New Castle County Executive Chris Coons, the Democrat in the race. "I don't know. I don't know. A lot of people thought she could not win last night. She did win against a very popular congressman, so I wouldn't underestimate her a bit."

When asked if the leadership in Washington just didn't understand the anger in the electorate - or didn't understand it early enough to tap into it - Cornyn said, "I think it's been an evolving situation. And starting in January of 2009, I don't think anybody thought Republicans were going to win many seats in 2010. And I talked to a number of candidates early on about getting into the race....We needed someone who could get in and win, not with the idea that nobody else could get into the race...I'm just in the simple business, simple arithmetic of addition."