Senior Matt Ingoglia, a Hatchet columnist, states that the College Republicans’ move to pay members to campaign isn’t unique, but exposes a flaw in what people have been saying about the elections.

The story of Republican Christine O’Donnell’s candidacy for Senate in Delaware can really only be described with one word: bizarre. From her improbable primary win over longtime incumbent Mike Castle, to her now infamous views on witchcraft and masturbation, the past few months have been anything but politics as usual in the First State. Move over Alaska, because this year’s political circus is just a short drive up I-95.

I suppose it was Delaware’s convenient location that tempted the College Republicans to wade into the insanity last weekend, when they dispatched about 20 of their members to campaign for O’Donnell despite her extremely long odds of victory. This seemingly ordinary trip garnered unexpected infamy when media outlets, including Politico, bashed the group for an e-mail offering members hotel rooms and $50 gift cards in exchange for coming along.

The CRs defended themselves fairly well, but public reaction was still very negative. Was offering a financial incentive to boost attendance really that big of a deal?