Beau Says No !!
Jan 26th, 2010 by Frank Knotts
Delawares current Attorneys General , Beau Biden, has announced that he will not be seeking the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by his father Joe Biden, who was elected as Vice President in “08″.
Mr. Biden has said that he will seek re-election as A.G. of Delaware instead of running for the Senate.
So, what do you suppose caused a person who was labled by so many as the apparent heir to the throne , to decide to not run?
Whatever it was , this would seem to open the door even wider for a conservative / Republican candidate to win that seat in the Senate.
Many in the GOP have been saying that GOP voters and independent conservative voters should support Mike Castle for the Senate. They made this claim on the basis that Mike Castle was the only Republican in Delaware who could defeat Beau Biden.
Well I wonder what they will say now to justify their support of Mr. Castle? Will they continue to support him , even though his support among the more conservative voters is none existent ? Will they continue to support Mr. Castle even though he has voted contrary to GOP and conservative principles on some very important legislation?
Oh I’m sure the party line voters will still hold Mr. Castle up as the only chance we have in Delaware to elect a Republican.
But is he really ? I think not , I feel that this is the perfect time to elect someone who will move the state and the nation further to the right. What do we as conservatives gain by holding our ground? In battle the objective is to move forward and to gain ground, and this is, a battle for the future of the country.
For those of you who will try and make a case for supporting Mr. Castle, ask yourselves just why someone such as Beau Biden would concede the election to Mike Castle. Yes I am sure that one reason is that Mr. Biden and the Democrats realize what a hard fight it would have been. And that Mr. Castle may even have won the race . But still at a time when every seat is so important to moving policy, wouldn’t you expect that the Democrats would send in their A-Team in every race?
That is unless they see a Mike Castle victory as a victory for the Democrats. Is it possible that the Democrats decided not to waste their resources on a race in which their opponent is as likely to vote with them as a Democrat ?
Look at it this way, Mr. Castle is pretty long in the tooth, most people feel that if he were to win the Senate seat, it will be for one term only . So maybe the Democrats have said to themselves, lets just hold back our money and our best gun and wait six years. Mike Castle will retire then, and then they see Beau Biden taking the cake walk into office. Oh and by the way, they can count on Mike Castle voting with them on big issues like cap and trade and who knows what else. This is a win win for the Democrats.
I believe that Beau Biden announcing that he will not run for the Senate is just another reason to support alternate candidates for the U.S. Senate seat of Delaware. We must take this opportunity to move the party and the nation further to the right. And we must ignore those who will tell us that we must support Mr. Castle out of loyalty to the GOP. I look at issues and candidates based on my life experience and through the prism of a fathers eyes and as a citizen who wants what is best for the future of the country and also for my child. In my view , that does not include Mike Castle as a U.S. Senator.
The Dems just have to wait four more years, not six, if Castle wins and then retires. The election this year is for the remainder of Joe’s term.
I agree with Frank. There is no reason not to go with our best candidate.
Yes, anon, we know. Frank just slipped out of habit. Thank you for the clarification though.
Well of all the ungrateful remarks. Whether you like it or not, Mike Castle was elected as the lone representative to represent ALL of Delaware. That is a tight rope to walk–and he has done it well. I may hate cap and trade also, but it does not negate the herculean job this man has done for our state for many, many years at a repeatedly engaged, high functioning, accessible level. He has stood by the GOP, supported GOP candidates actively, and remained loyal when he certainly could have distanced himself with immunity, while this troubled party continues their identity crisis. For some of us who wish to stay GOP, Castle is our only anchor of a well reasoned, established legislator who has stayed above the fray of social issues that fractures us, and has moved on to legislate on issues that drive us–drive this country, and the economic, international, health and security issues that will fracture all of us if not addressed. What a shame to “Boo” your own, when he never denied any of us, no matter how crazy some had acted. I may not like all his votes, but he still has mine. That’s Senator Castle in ’12.
A lot of people feel the same way, but I did not like him as governor. He grew government about 8% a year. I am one of the 45% of Republicans who do not support him. He undermined the pro-family agenda and I supported an opponent in the 1992 primary. I have been proven right. He has been wrong on fiscal issues by supporting expansion of government. He has been 100% National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League voting. He is out of the mainstream on the right to bear arms. I think all of those are “reasoned positions” have reasoned counter arguments so please don’t act like his is the reasoned position.
Mike Castle has looked out for himself at the expense of the party when he bashes it and runs against it. It makes it harder for everyone else.
I think that his positions are not an example of reason. They are just the opposite. They seem a combination of vasilation, emotion, and political calculation. That is not what I see as worthy of leadership.
Could I tolerate him for 4 more years if I had to? Yes. If I can find better will I go that route? Yes. Christine is a far better person for the job.
I do agree that the Congressman has supported a lot of candidates. He is an honorable person. He is very intelligent. He is experienced in the affairs of state. He seems to try to care about the average guy. Those facts go in his favor. He is a decent human being.
“..wouldn’t you expect that the Democrats would send in their A-Team in every race..”
Frank, as you know, I’ve been predicting for months (on WGMD) that Biden wouldn’t run; Castle has a formidable campaign apparatus in Delaware, a huge bankroll and a lot of Democrat support in New Castle. Plus, he’s a proven winner, actually the only proven Republican winner in recent memory. Why would a young guy like Biden risk suffering the ignominy of losing a race for his father’s old seat? Why not wait four years? Don’t pay any attention to Biden’s b.s. about ‘finishing his job as A.G.’- he made a calculated political decision.
I am torn as to what to do about Castle. I believe he would easily win the election, no matter who the Dems run (expect the Dems to run a weak candidate, because that’s probably all they can get). There’s the dilemma. For those of us, like myself, who consider Castle to be a ‘Country Club Republican,’ wouldn’t this be a good time to run a conservative? But how- won’t Castle win the Republican primary?
While I generally frown upon third-party candidates, this may be the most propitious time in recent memory to try it. Castle would probably split the New Castle vote with his Democrat opponent. Hence, with a strong run in Kent and Sussex, a third-party candidate could actually win. As a matter of fact, a third-party conservative would probably have a better chance than a conservative running as a Republican. Why? Again, with Castle in the race, the New Castle vote will be split, between Castle and his Dem opponent. In other words, a conservative could use Castle to his advantage.
The next question is; who to run?
A third party is too much of a risk in my opinion. We have to support the Republican in the long run or risk damaging our efforts up and down the ticket by taking energy that could be used to win back the state house. It would also risk letting a Democrat win with 40%– someone like Coons. No strong Democrat is going to get less than that in this state.
I assume you mean support Christine? No thanks. I can assure you she stands no chance at all. Miss write in is old news.
Now the important question should be Congress. Castle will win and in four years be gone.
As I said on another blog there are two guys with statewide recognition, Copeland and Protack. Because Castle waited so long to go for the Senate name recogntion is crucial.
Now, Copeland is clearly 100% establishment in a non establishment year although the leadership will be after him to run. The duPont name means nothing to the state but everything to the GOP. Also, Copeland left a safe seat for what again? He could gin up the $$$ but so what?
Now Protack, the so called conservative who is more left than Castle on health care, unions, drugs and death penalty. He does have the populist credentials afetr getting jacked around pretty good by the incompetent airlines executives. He will work hard as hell also.
Possibly, the Delaware Way means Castle et al made the deal and Carney gets a pass? Would not surprise me a bit.
Like I said, Cullis, Wade, Lavelle and Kovach don’t cut it statewide. Let’s get real. let Castle win and fight for Congress.
Geez.
Even a split vote in New Castle for Castle and his opponent (possibly Chris Coons or Matt Denn) would not leave enough votes for a third party candidate to win. Sussex Countians are simply outnumbered. I support the third party movement, ballot access reform, etc., but we simply don’t have a strong enough third party.
Christine O’Donnell is not a strong candidate for the office she’s running for. The Senate is, I’m afraid, unquestionably out of her reach. I can’t imagine why Republican leadership didn’t push her to run for the House, or perhaps a state-level office. It would still be a long shot, but O’Donnell’s chances against Carney for the House would have been significantly better than her chances against Castle in the Republican primary.
You overestimate the power of the Republican leadership. It is a small d democratic organization not a machine dictating everything. They can’t push anyone to do anything who does not go along with them.
They should have enticed her early on. It is late in the game now. I would love to see it happen, but I make my choices based upon what is not what could be.
Castle’s ACU record is 53% conservative, slightly better than the snow birds from Maine. No thanks.
True, but I will take that over Kaufman’s 8%. I want someone that will be with me not someone that I have to hope is with me. My point is that I will support the primary winners.
Christine when she wins the primary, I want everyone to rally around her. By the way patriot, I met the Republican. The one who wins the primary will win my vote. We can’t afford to thrown away a senate seat like New York may have with Republican infighting. (Draft Pataki) Once the primary election is over, it is time to unite. Conservatives and moderates need to bury the hatchet once the winner is determined.
A third party is too much of a risk in my opinion.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Even a split vote in New Castle for Castle and his opponent (possibly Chris Coons or Matt Denn) would not leave enough votes for a third party candidate to win.
I’ve studied the numbers. It is possible..the key is Kent, not Sussex.