Republican Christine O'Donnell has cut 9 points off her opponent's lead in the Delaware Senate race and may be within striking distance of Democrat Chris Coons. According to a new poll, Ms. O'Donnell, who was trailing by 19 points just two weeks ago, has erased nearly half of that margin and now trails by 10 points (51%-41%). And the distance between them may be even smaller since this poll was taken before the latest sexist attack against the Republican and the backlash that has resulted from it.

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A posting yesterday on a gossip website in which an anonymous man claims to have had a sexless one-night stand with Ms. O’Donnell in 2007 has drawn widespread condemnation. The National Organization for Women denounced the posting as "public sexual harassment" and a "sexist, misogynist" attack. (source) Coons spokesman Daniel McElhatton called it "despicable, cowardly" and said it "has absolutely no value at all to any Delaware voters." (source)

But the anonymous source of the graphic posting (who was paid by the gossip site for his story) may have inadvertently helped the O'Donnell campaign. With the momentum already on her side, the swell of sympathy that this shameful and sexist attack has brought her way may further erode her opponent's lead with just days before the election.

While a recent Farleigh Dickinson survey released Thursday showed Mr. Coons with a 21 point advantage, today's Monmouth University poll was conducted only among likely voters. As with many races across the country, the current enthusiasm gap between Democrats and Republicans could result in upset wins for underdog candidates like Ms. O'Donnell as many Democratic voters may choose to sit this one out and many Republican voters are highly motivated to head to the polls on Tuesday.