DelawarePolitics.net

The complete release is on our first draft page, but I find this part of it interesting.  Do they think this helps him?  Especially where they state that Congressman Castle is ideologically similar to Senator Carper or remind people about the contemplated challenge to conservative hero Senator Roth.

… U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), issued the following statement in response to U.S. Representative Mike Castle (R-DE) officially announcing his bid for the U.S. Senate:

WHAT DELAWARE DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING ABOUT REP. MIKE CASTLE:

Vice President Joe Biden

BIDEN: “Mike’s A Good Friend And I Respect Him A Lot.” (Carl Weiser and Patrick Jackson, “GOP Urging Castle To Challenge Biden,” News Journal [Wilmington, DE], 2/10/01)

Biden Extended A Special Thank You To Castle When They Introduced The Welfare Reform Act Of 1996. BIDEN: “Thank you for coming. I’d especially want to thank Congressman Castle and Congressman John Tanner for coming over to the Senate to join Senator Specter and me today. Today, Senator Specter and I are introducing the Bipartisan Welfare Reform Act of 1996 . . .” (Senator Joe Biden, Press Conference, 6/12/96)

Senator Tom Carper

Carper Said Castle Is “Easy To Work With.” “Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said one secret to Castle’s success is his lack of pretension. ‘When you’ve been in the business as long as he has and you’ve had as much success as Mike has had, it’s easy to get a big head,’ said Carper, who succeeded Castle as governor. ‘But I don’t think Mike’s hat size has gone up. He’s still easy to work with.’” (Patrick Jackson, “Incumbent Castle A Tenacious Fighter,” The News Journal [Wilmington, DE], 10/13/02)

Carper Said He Would Rather Take A Break From Politics Than Run Against Castle. “Had [Senator Bill] Roth chosen to retire, Carper said he would have bowed out of politics – at least temporarily – rather than run for Senate against his good friend Castle.” (Peter Nicholas, “It’s Election Time In Delaware,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/23/00)

“Carper And Castle Have Been Longtime Friends And Often Still Take The Train To Washington Together On Days When The House And Senate Are In Session.” (Patrick Jackson, “Castle In Hospital Undergoing Tests,” The News Journal [Wilmington, DE], 9/24/06)

In 2000, Carper Told Castle He Would Hold His Coat If He Ran For Senate. “‘I went to see Mike one last time, at his home,’ Carper told The Hill last week. ‘We sat in the backyard in the latter part of September and I said, “OK, pal, one last time: You should do this, and if you do, I will hold your coat.” And he said, “No. I’m happy where I am, and I’m going to stay here. You just do what you feel like you need to do.’ And a couple of days later, I put my hat in the ring.’” (Robert Schlesinger, Allison Stevens, and Kelli Johnson, “Carper Vs. Roth,” The Hill, 1/19/00)

In 2000, Carper Pushed Castle To Primary Roth. “Even after Roth announced he would seek reelection, Carper kept after Castle, pushing him to challenge Roth in a primary. If you run, Carper told Castle, I’ll hold your coat.” (Robert Schlesinger, Allison Stevens, and Kelli Johnson, “Carper Vs. Roth: Titans Clash In Pivotal Delaware Senate Race,” The Hill, 1/19/00)

Carper’s Chief Of Staff, Jeffrey Bullock Said Carper And Castle Were “Too Similar” Politically To Run Against Each Other. “‘I can’t imagine those two ever running against each other,’ said Jeffrey Bullock, Carper’s chief of staff. ‘Not only are they good friends, but politically they’re too similar.’” (Nancy Charron, “Familiar Faces Star In Unfamiliar Race,” News Journal [Wilmington, DE], 9/26/99)

“As This Year’s Senate Race Drew Closer, Carper Encouraged Castle To Run, Even As Democrats Were Encouraging Him To Make The Race.” (Robert Schlesinger, Allison Stevens, and Kelli Johnson, “Carper Vs. Roth: Titans Clash In Pivotal Delaware Senate Race,” The Hill, 1/19/00)

Carper Said He Hoped Castle Wouldn’t Challenge Biden Because Their “Three-Man Delegation” Was “Close-Knit And Works Well Together.” “‘I very much hope it does not happen,’ Carper said Wednesday of the prospects of a Biden-Castle match. He counts both men as friends, and said the three-man delegation now is close-knit and works well together. ‘I’d hate for us to lose either one,’ he said.” (Carl Weiser and Patrick Jackson, “GOP Urging Castle To Challenge Biden,” News Journal [Wilmington, DE], 2/10/01)

Former Lieutenant Governor John Carney

Carney Said He Was Friends With Castle. “‘We are friends. I like Mike. But I’m in the race to the end, whoever my opponent is,’ Carney said, noting that he had also been friends with Markell.” (Alex Isenstadt, “Which Door Will Castle Choose?” Politico, 5/4/09)

President Bill Clinton

CLINTON: “I Also Want To Thank . . . My Former Colleague And Long-Time Friend, Now Your Congressman, Mike Castle . . .” (President Bill Clinton, Press Conference, 9/3/93)

Clinton Said Delawareans Could Be “Proud” Of Castle’s Work. CLINTON: “And I have seen it, having had the opportunity to work for years now with Mike Castle and Tom Carper when they were in those jobs in succession, on welfare reform, on child care, on the education of our children. And you can be very proud of both of them.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks To The Delaware State Legislature, 5/8/98)