Thanks to the Tea Party, we now have a Republican primary winner who has practiced witchcraft.

Christine O'Donnell, 41, was scheduled to appear on Fox News Sunday yesterday morning, but when the story broke she had once participated in rituals on a Satanic alter, naturally enough she cancelled all her previous obligations.

Video clips from the Bill Maher show informed the bemused American public that O'Donnell, by her own admission, 'dabbled in witchcraft'.

'One of my first dates with a witch was on a satanic altar, and I didn’t know it,' she said. 'I mean, there’s a little blood there and stuff like that. We went to a movie and then we had a little midnight picnic on a satanic altar.'

Oh I admit it, I've seen some really strange stuff in American political life (Larry Craig's wide-stance, Rudy Giuliani's cross-dressing, not to mention kooky Rand Paul and his 'Aqua Bhudda' - all of these come unbidden to my mind, I'm afraid) but this is the first time I recall a conservative candidate who was once a witch.

As qualifications for the United States Senate go, you have to give her her due for originality.

In Delaware I imagine there are a lot of churchgoing people who are going to want to know what on earth O'Donnell was doing. And I admit to a little curiosity myself. I mean I enjoy a train wreck as much as anyone.

Remember, this is the woman who has spent two decades espousing celibacy and condemning homosexuality, masturbation and condom usage. Asked by MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, 'You’re going to stop the whole country from having sex?' O’Donnell replied, 'Yes.' [Scarborough Country, 11/13/03]

Good luck with that Christine.

We haven't even gotten to the part where a bipartisan watchdog group claims the Tea Partier abused campaign funds for her personal use and made false statements on forms she filed with the Federal Elections Commission.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint to the US Attorney's office in Delaware and the Federal Elections Commission alleging that O'Donnell illegally spent more than $20 thousand in 2009 and 2010.

Much of these campaign expenses were made in 2009, when O'Donnell wasn't a candidate for anything. Representatives for O'Donnell could not, as they say, be reached for comment.

The Tea Party was intended to shake things up, but it's just ended up stiring the cauldron.