Castle's Door is Open

[Lunar]

http://www.rollcall.com/news/34239-1.html

Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) said Thursday that he’s leaning more toward running for Senate rather than another term in the House, if he decides to run for Congress again in 2010.

In an interview on Capitol Hill, Castle also acknowledged that several GOP Senators, including John McCain (Ariz.), have been pushing him in recent weeks to make the move to the other side of Capitol Hill. He said a final decision on his 2010 plans would likely have to come by early summer “at the latest.”

Castle’s comments come a week after former Delaware Lt. Gov. John Carney (D) filed to run for the First State’s lone House seat next year.

Castle said that he met last month with Carney, whom he considers a friend, and knew at that point that the former lieutenant governor was planning on jumping into the House race.

At that meeting Castle told Carney “there’s probably a better chance I’ll run for the Senate than the House. [But] I said there’s a chance I won’t run at all.”

While Castle believes he can beat Carney — a recent poll showed Castle winning a head-to-head contest — the Delaware Congressman said the race would represent his toughest challenge since his first election in 1992 against another former lieutenant governor, S.B. Woo (D).

If Castle does decide to run for Senate, it would likely set up a high-profile battle against state Attorney General Beau Biden (D), who is widely expected to run for his father’s old Senate seat next year. Sen. Ted Kaufman (D) was appointed to fill Vice President Joseph Biden’s seat after the 2008 election, but Kaufman has said he won’t run for the remainder of Biden’s term in the 2010. Castle will be 71 in 2010.

Between the Biden dynasty in the state and the expected involvement of the White House, a contest with Castle vs. Beau Biden would no doubt be one of the most closely watched battles of the 2010 cycle.

For that reason, people like McCain have been trying to convince Castle, who is a former Delaware governor, that he could do even more for the state in the Senate.

When they sat down for a half-hour meeting three weeks ago, Castle said McCain told him that “in the Senate, there’s the ability to do more ... You’re one of 100 Senators. You could take on virtually any issue and make it yours.”

[Rowan]

Wow. I did not expect this. This is wonderful news for the GOP.

[Holmes]

Would Biden stop talking to him?

[Lunar]

I bet he doesn't do it (he's been friends with Beau's father for forty years and Castle's health is the opposite of good) but since he's going to have a competitive race against a friend no matter what he does, why not upgrade?

When does Beau get back to the US and start raising money?

[Franzl]

There's a good chance I'd support Castle.

[Lunar]

In my opinion, Castle entering the DE senate race is the only way the Republicans will have a chance to keep the Democrats from reaching 60.

[Rowan]

In my opinion, Castle entering the DE senate race is the only way the Republicans will have a chance to keep the Democrats from reaching 60.

Agree. But then they also need Dodd to go down in CT because I only see them holding 1 of NH, MO, and OH.

[You kip if you want to...]

In my opinion, Castle entering the DE senate race is the only way the Republicans will have a chance to keep the Democrats from reaching 60.

So, do you think we're gonna make loses considering we're at 59?

[The Mikado]

(he's been friends with Beau's father for forty years and Castle's health is the opposite of goo)

Castle's health is solid?  Isn't that good?

[Rowan]

In my opinion, Castle entering the DE senate race is the only way the Republicans will have a chance to keep the Democrats from reaching 60.

So, do you think we're gonna make loses considering we're at 59?

No, Democrats are going to get to 60, most likely 62-63. The only way to prevent that is for the GOP to make pickups, which would include DE or CT.

[Lunar]

OH is far from set for the Republicans...  there's a few different ways they can hold the Dems to 59, but I think the realistic ones run through Delaware

(he's been friends with Beau's father for forty years and Castle's health is the opposite of goo)

Castle's health is solid?  Isn't that good?

Lol, typo fixed.

[HAnnA MArin County]

Mike Castle would definitely be the best candidate the Republicans can get for this seat. However, don't forget that another Republican has already declared: Christine O'Donnell, who ran for Joe Biden's seat in 2008 and lost by more than a two-to-one margin, said she's running again, so if Castle does enter, he'd have to get through the primary which I'm sure he will easily win but O'Donnell seems like an opportunist who just wants to get her name out there (she's in PR, after all) to me and I'm sure she'll throw mud at Castle and expose his weaknesses as a candidate that will leave him a little bloodied in heavily blue state Delaware where any generic Democrat has the edge. Best case scenario for the Republicans, I think, would be for O'Donnell to drop out and endorse Castle, then I would go as far as to moving this seat to Tossup because Castle is a moderate Republican in a blue state who has won statewide election by big margins running for the House. But a Castle-Beau Biden contest would definitely be a race to watch. I'm pretty sure Castle will run for the Senate, just my opinion though.

I agree with a previous poster that Democrats will probably get 62-63 seats in 2010 depending on how the national winds are swinging. Most of the open seats being vacated by retiring Republicans (MO-Bond, OH-Voinovich, NH-Gregg) are more than likely going to switch so that's +3 for the Democrats' 59 seats now (I say 59 because Al Franken has already won, a LONG time ago) which makes 62, throw in Kentucky makes 63, North Carolina and Pennsylvania would be 65 and maybe they could get 66 if they can oust David Vitter in Louisiana. If things continue to go the way they are going and Obama has high approval (64%) ratings, according to the recent AP poll, and even Congress's numbers are up dramatically, I expect us to maybe even get 65 seats. But like I said, this just all depends on the political climate at the time, retirements, and all other things that impact races.

[Nym90]

Excellent. We'll get the House seat and keep the Senate seat, too.

But hey, at least Castle will only lose by 10, instead of by 25-30 like a generic R would've.

[Rowan]

Excellent. We'll get the House seat and keep the Senate seat, too.

But hey, at least Castle will only lose by 10, instead of by 25-30 like a generic R would've.

Really, you think Castle would lose to a first time candidate with no experience? PPP had him up by 8.

[Lunar]

Beau is a first time political candidate with no experience?

[Rowan]

Beau is a first time political candidate with no experience?

Besides being attorney general, yes.

(Yes, I forgot he was attorney general)

[Landslide Lyndon]

I don't get Castle. He says that he doesn't have the stomach for a tough House race.

And then he jumps into a tough Senate race against the sitting Attorney General who is almost 30 years younger and happens to be the Vice-President's son?

Anyway, I doubt that the prospect of a 70+ years old minority freshman will be very appealing to the voters. Especially considering the alternative.

[Rowan]

He has been a 2 term governor and been their representative for 16 years. This guy is a LEGEND in Delaware. Don't underestimate that.

And before that he was a State Rep, State Senator, and Lt. Governor. He has served the state for over 40 years. The state LOVES him.

[Landslide Lyndon]

He has been a 2 term governor and been their representative for 16 years. This guy is a LEGEND in Delaware. Don't underestimate that.

And before that he was a State Rep, State Senator, and Lt. Governor. He has served the state for over 40 years. The state LOVES him.

So is Biden.
And so was William Roth, who lost because of health concerns, not unlike the ones surrounding Castle.

[Rowan]

He has been a 2 term governor and been their representative for 16 years. This guy is a LEGEND in Delaware. Don't underestimate that.

And before that he was a State Rep, State Senator, and Lt. Governor. He has served the state for over 40 years. The state LOVES him.

So is Biden.
And so was William Roth, who lost because of health concerns, not unlike the ones surrounding Castle.

Biden isn't running. His son is. There's a difference.

[Landslide Lyndon]

He has been a 2 term governor and been their representative for 16 years. This guy is a LEGEND in Delaware. Don't underestimate that.

And before that he was a State Rep, State Senator, and Lt. Governor. He has served the state for over 40 years. The state LOVES him.

So is Biden.
And so was William Roth, who lost because of health concerns, not unlike the ones surrounding Castle.

Biden isn't running. His son is. There's a difference.

As if nepotism isn't alive and well (Evan Bayh, Mark Pryor, etc. ).

[Lunar]

the list is a lot longer than that....


We'll see how much Delaware voters dislike nepotism, but my hunch is that they don't hate it more than Connecticut voters...

googling "nepotism 2010" the first two results are about Beau lol.  There's a lot of nepotism up for election that year though.  Look out for Rory Reid!

[Rowan]

We'll see how much Delaware voters dislike nepotism, but my hunch is that they don't hate it more than Connecticut voters...

Or it could be that they think Castle is more qualified and that Biden will get his chance when Castle retires for good, presumably after one term.

[Joe Republic]

Are we discussing attitudes to nepotism in Delaware; the home of the DuPont family?

[Landslide Lyndon]

We'll see how much Delaware voters dislike nepotism, but my hunch is that they don't hate it more than Connecticut voters...

Or it could be that they think Castle is more qualified and that Biden will get his chance when Castle retires for good, presumably after one term.

Well they will think also that with Beau they have a direct line to the White House and a young senator who is going to build up seniority.
With Castle they get a minority freshman with little power who is going to retire after one term, thus denying the state the power of seniority.

Are we discussing attitudes to nepotism in Delaware; the home of the DuPont family?

And the Bayards.