Posted on 12/23/2009 2:54:49 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Michael Castle is a member of an endangered species in the U.S. Congress: He's a moderate Republican. ...
Castle is running to fill the Senate seat for Delaware formerly held by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, and his likely Democratic foe is Biden's son, Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden.
Castle, a member of the House of Representatives since 1993, is seen as among the Republicans' best bets to end the Democrats' 60-vote super-majority in the 100-member Senate.
...
The contest unfolds as conservative activists take on Republican moderates like Castle, fueling an internal ideological battle that has pushed the party farther to the right and made it tougher to find common ground with Democrats in Congress.
But these conservatives aren't expected to tangle much, if at all, with Castle in the November 2010 election.
That's because the popular nine-term lawmaker -- .. is seen as the only Republican able to beat Biden in the predominately Democratic state.
CONSERVATIVES 'YIELD TO THE WORLD AS IT IS'
"Folks on the right, and frankly I'm one of them in terms of voting record, have to yield to the world as it is and not necessarily how they wish it would be," said Senator John Cornyn, who as chairman of the Senate Republican campaign committee recruited Castle to run.
"The world as it is in Delaware is that if Mike Castle didn't run, Beau Biden would be the next senator from Delaware," said Cornyn.
...
At one meeting, he was called a "traitor" for being one of eight House Republicans to back a Democratic bill to fight climate change.
At an another, he was booed for defending President Barack Obama against a conspiracy theory pushed by fringe groups that the Democratic president is not a U.S. citizen.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Ain’t supportin’ no more Specters. Sorry. Vote third party in this one.
Another liberal? Might as well vote Democrat and get the real thing.
Moderate Republicans are spys. Mass. Does not deserve a Conservative yet.
Article says he voted against the stinkulus and healthcare.
It’s a Delaware seat....
From what I know of him, he’s no improvement.
There is another very important vote people forget about - Majority Leader. Win that vote and we get all the committee chairs and committee majorities besides setting the Senate agenda.
Bottom line is Castle is the only Republican right now who can take that seat. Even if he only votes my way 80% of the time, that's a lot better than the alternative.
Let’s play the game.. He votes 80% , fine..
Is he Pro-Drill ANWR? Norm Coleman wasn’t, he is now gone.
You can keep telling yourself he is worth the inevitable disappointments,, .. even supporting Obama..
I am sick of every stinking excuse the GoP makes for its own ineptness in selecting candidates.
Let Delaware do what it will. What stinks is the GoP will end up taking it in the schwarz either way when this kind of argument is used. jmo.
Hello NornsRevenge,
SOOO what is a moderate Republican?
A worhtless p.o.s. RINO?
Pass, not going to EVER vote again for a f-ing RINO.
Conservative or go fish.
I can’t wait to see another Biden making a complete idiot out of himself trying to follow in DaDDy’s footsteps. If anything, Castle is a Voinovich in waiting.
At an another, he was booed for defending President Barack Obama against a conspiracy theory pushed by fringe groups that the Democratic president is not a U.S. citizen."
Boy, this sh**heel sounds like another Lindsey Grahamnesty. It would be a better use of the GOP's time to go forth and spread the conservative Gospel, and try to convert Deleware's 'Rat voters. But no, that would mean the lilly-livered Pubbies would actually have to fight, which they've demonstrated over and over again they're averse to.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Last thing we need is another F**KING “moderate” sell out. :(:(:(
If electing Moderates is the GoP’s best hope near- or long-term, then let it die like other parties.. it has miserably failed on the political battlefield even when it was in power and has lost its way at the top of the party.
It continues to seek the easiest paths and is more than willing to alienate a majority of the base for a few moderates.
There is no fight there anymore, only the question of what is in it for me... not the faithful who have stood by them for so long, only to be told to shut-up, be pragmatic, don’t rock the boat.
The boat needs rocking. Lots of it.
Please, the voters of Delaware have proven time and again that they are too stupid to understand the benefits of conservatism. A 70% conservative is the best one can hope for in that state.
Barbara Streisand!
DemocRat seats will be falling like rocks next year, after Helthcare From Hell.
.
More proof that the GOP JUST DOESN'T GET IT
Don't fall for this self-fulfilling prophecy.
The problem is that the GOP is too scared to run conservatives in the Northeast. Have you seen their economies and the damage done to them by those moderate Republicans and Democrats?
3 strikes against Castle: He is too old (70, will be 71 next year), he supported the crap and tax envirowacko bill, and he's a career politician. In an era of tea parties and anti-Washington electorate, do you think voters will vote for him?
Cornyn conveniently ignores that the Tea Parties are mad at Republicans too. This isn't just an anti-Dem/Obama thing - people are mad at Republicans for not fighting back and for dropping the ball since 1994.
Like I said: There has got to be a Republican in the Delaware state legislature that can be recruited.
The radical Obamareidpelosi agenda has united House and Senate Republicans like I haven't seen since Reagan.
Yup, the point of politics is to maximize you chances of achieving realistic objectives.
With that in mind, I ran across this the other day and thought it would be really interesting to see the same sort of analysis from the standpoint of achieving conservative goals:
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/12/2009s-most-valuable-democrat-is.html
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.