AN Odd thought... I wonder if Mike Castle could be flipped.on HCR

[Perky]

By every measure it looks like he is going to be the next Senator from Delaware. I hate that we are losing Biden's seat but it it what it is. It occurs to me however. that a no vote on HCR (obviously anticipated) will be a real drag on him getting a big win in such a blue state. Not sure we can muster a win in Delware anyway... but it would be nice to have one GOP vote.

Ok Maybe it is a very odd thought,

[CBR]

1. I don't think so but I did call his office. Worth a shot with him.

On Edit: I did get an e-mail from Plouffe urging me to call his office. Are they doing this for every GOP or just potential supporters?

[Jennicut]

2. We have a better shot of getting Cao if there is a seperate vote on abortion.

[vaberella]

14. I think Cao will come over to our side in the end.

His district isn't rich people. His constituents will really benefit from it.

[LynneSin]

3. Don't just write off Biden's old seat just yet

Dems are running Chris Coons against Castle. Coons is a very popular County Commissioner in New Castle County, which pretty much determines how the state will go. We know the lower 2 counties will go republican but because New Castle County is much more populated and strong democratic county - we could still pull this one out yet.

What hurts Castle is two things - first, he's not someone the teabags will be thrilled about supporting and for all we know they could toss a candidate out there. Second, Castle is over 70 years old and health is not what it was. Coons is in his late 40s so some may say it's time for Castle to retire. Perhaps if Coons uses the strategy Tom Carper used against long term republican senator Bill Roth, we could keep this seat as a democrat. Bill Roth was an incumbant that lost because first, he was old as can be and second because Tom Carper was out there campaigning EVERYWHERE and tried to shake every hand he could. Bill Roth came out looking like a tired on man way past his expiration date and Carper pulled out the upset.

What's nice about Delaware is it's an easy state to campaign because it is so small. Coons will campaign aggressively and it will really show Castle's age.

[Jennicut]

4. That is how Biden won the seat there to begin with. Caleb Boggs was older

and didn't want to come back for another term but as talked into it and did not put much effort into campaigning. It is possible Castle could lose but he is well liked. Still, at 70 I wonder how much gas he has in the tank.

[LynneSin]

5. From what I was told - Bill Roth was well liked

Mind you I had moved to Delaware right after the election. But about the campaigning - that was what 3 sources told me

[Jennicut]

6. Not that is interesting. I think Castle may have more of a fight on his hands then he might realize.

[LynneSin]

7. He's got a primary opponent too - Christine O'Donnell

Mind you she lost by almost 30 points to Joe Biden in 2008 and Joe didn't even bother to campaign for his senate seat (he was running for VP on the Obama ticket). O'Donnell is a Tea Bagger so perhaps she can put some pressure on Castle during the primaries and wear him down for the general election.

[jberryhill]

12. Yeah, that's the one....

What I wrote to Castle today was that if he can't distinguish himself from how she'd vote, then the God & Country folks from Kent and Sussex will just as soon vote for her.

You can't count on winning the entire state on New Castle County alone.

[CBR]

13. She is a total loon. Just how the teabaggers like 'em. nt

[jberryhill]

11. Yes, he was well-liked...

...but he came across as being pickled most of the time.

Castle has a deeper well of goodwill, because he was actually a pretty good governor.

I thought that crazy neighbor of yours was going to give Castle a primary. Didn't she announce her run the other day?

[treestar]

8. And if he votes no on HCR he'll have to deal with that as well

Coons can beat him over the head with it.

I think the age thing will have a lot of effect. Why send someone of retirement age to the Senate?

If he were already there, that'd be another story.

[depakid]

9. From what I've seen of Castle, he's smarter than that

Let the Democrats own this- and then wait for the results (and disappointments) to play out and say: I told you so.

[jberryhill]

10. Called and Emailed Him Today

I don't know if he can be flipped, but it must pain him to be sitting in the Republican rubber-stamp "No" brigade on every issue. That was never the kind of Republican Mike Castle was.

[skipos]

15. Republicans vote the way the leadership wants. That is why there are no "moderates"

Castle will never vote for this, and there will be nothing moderate about him once he is in the senate and doing whatever Mitch wants.