Coons is Running for Senate
We have it from several sources that New Castle County Executive Christopher Coons announced at a State of the Union watch party last night that he is indeed running for Senate against Castle.
Now, in order of preference, Coons is my third choice after Biden and Denn. But at least he is a credible Democrat who has held office rather than the also rans we have been running against Castle for the last 18 years. Indeed, in Coons Castle has his strongest opponent since his first race for Congress in 1992. For Coons to win, though, he needs to go after Castle and his horrid voting record with the same fire President Obama exhibited last night. Coons will lose if he is on the defensive about anything. He must not only be on offense about his own record as County Executive, but also about both President Obama’s record and Castle’s record in opposing Obama and supporting Bush for eight years.
To quote a progressive friend, to beat Castle, “we need to be ‘all in.’” This necessarily means that the Anonones and Nancy Willings of the world must get over themselves. You want to beat Castle? Well then you support Chris Coons, find another candidate equally credible or more so, or shut up.
Are you proposing that a Democrat run as a Democrat in a strongly Democratic state? Huh. I guess anything’s worth a try.
Yeah, shocking a notion as it is! Chris Coons, screw the “Delaware Way.” Go after Castle. Be more of a fighter than the Bidens and Carper ever were.
Oh my, Coons is the best the dems could come up with. Coons is only known in New Castle County and even there there are mixed reactions to him…so I guess we will have a republican for the Senate. Unbelievable!
hey, Just Kiddin, what is your suggestion? Those who are so critical must have their own ideas or they are nothing but petty ankle bitters. Are you going to suggest Kaufman? Well, he says he is not running. Denn? He will not go to Washington so long as his twin boys are young. Do you want us to force them to run at gunpoint?
So what is your suggestion, JK? Or are you just an ankle bitter?
And the dig that Coons is not known outside of New Castle… um…. where is the overwhelming majority of the population of the state again?
Thank you.
I don’t know much about Coons’s personality or his willingness to fight. But of what I do know, the more I think about it the more I think he is the best choice.
NCC was at ground zero of the financial sector and housing meltdown. Coons was the victim and Castle was the perp. Delaware and America lost banking jobs and home values on Castle’s watch. It is a slam-dunk narrative.
My impression is Coons is relatively free of Minner baggage or Delaware Way/Carper Machine stink – am I right?
There is probably some developer stink, but I am willing to hold my nose on that. It is a local issue that will not follow him to the Senate, and anyway, he’s got to have somebody to call for campaign money.
You can’t win by taking only New Castle County. Karen Hartley Nagle took New Castle! You gotta have Sussex and Kent to win. I would rather the people supported a candidate from the people not some democratic insider. The Peter Principle is alive and well in Delaware. John Flagherty is more respected by both parties and is well known up and down the state for being an honest broker. He also was an aide to Biden for many years. The only thing John lacks is money.
She didn’t take New Castle by enough, JK. It’s true, Coons needs to make himself known to the rest of Delaware. Hopefully Coons has a smart numbers guy/gal who will know where he needs to turn out the vote.
Anon:Coons is free from Carper? Are you kidding us. No politican in this state is free from Carpers influence.
What do you mean she didnt take New Castle county. She most certainly did! She lost in Sussex the republican strong hold.
I guess that decides it. The national committee certainly will not throw any money down this rat hole. Carney, Markell, Denn, or Schwartzkopf were the only real candidates that could excite Dems statewide and make them think twice before automatically pulling the Castle lever. Now, they’ll step into the booth see Castle, look over to see who else is running, say, “who?” and vote Castle.
jk – she didn’t take it by ENOUGH, was UI’s comment, meaning she didn’t have enough votes in NCCo to override Kent and Sussex.
grass roots volunteers, grass roots volunteers, grass roots volunteers. I know Coons isn’t that well known… He is best served running a campaign AGAINST Castle rather than FOR himself…. but giving him a large phone back (our job) is how WE can help. TO COONS CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS! HUZZZAH! (where is it?)
anon, the national, OR state committee for that matter gave no money to this troublesome guy running for Gov…. now he is the governor because of the 3 previously mentioned reasons. I think Markell should lend Coons his campaign team/phone lists.
Great news that we have a viable candidate to go up against Castle. Ankle biters be damned.
your definition of viable, if applied to fetuses, would end abortion for good.
anon, the national, OR state committee for that matter gave no money to this troublesome guy running for Gov…. now he is the governor because of the 3 previously mentioned reasons.
Nemski… point taken, but I think the reason Markell didn’t get party money was because he didn’t need it. He was well financed and was expected to win anyway. It’s a different story with Coons. I think Coons can easily get some national grass roots money bombs… but so can Castle.
Not one dime until I hear some fighting words from Coons that sound like a Democrat talking.
hey, that was me. dont be givin nemski credit for my cutting and insightful points…. teabag!
Coons can by a dynamic speaker and a warm person to talk to individually. He relates well to young people and can excite an audience. He’ll have to work his tail off, but if he does and can garner some loyal supports throughout the state, I think he’ll have a chance to at LEAST scare Castle, hopefully more. Remember, any national money that comes to Delaware isn’t going elsewhere.
castle can only get atroturf. and there is still potential for a teaB to pop up in slower lower and scosoffava him in a primary… or at least run as a 3rd party candidate sick of liberal republicans. too bad im not 30. I’d play the double agent!
nothing in his time on county council or as County Exec suggests he is a “Progressive”.
More of a Pro-Business DLC type… and we know how youall love that wing of your party.
if he campaigns as a full-on Blue Dog (Strong on Defense, Pro Life, NRA member) then it will be a tight race, too close to call.
The most important thing the Coons campaign needs to do is make damn sure that everybody understands one thing: in spite any flowery, centrist, “we all need to work together” type language that Castle might use on the campaign trail, if he gets into the Senate there is virtually ZERO chance that he will do anything other than what EVERY OTHER Republican Senator is doing these days — voting against solving any of our country’s problems. He can try to sound as moderate as he wants (and he might actually think that way) but GOP Senators only vote the way the party wants them to.
I hate to throw facts into the argument, but Karen Hartley-Nagle most definitely did NOT win New CAstle County, as can be easily confirmed at the DEpt. of Elections web site. The actual vote totals (city of Wilmington included):
Castle 135,354
KHN 98,714
In percentage terms, she lost with just under 42% of the NCCo vote. She only won Wilmington by 15,036-10,376.
“if he campaigns as a full-on Blue Dog (Strong on Defense, Pro Life, NRA member) then it will be a tight race, too close to call.”
And if you had balls you’d be a mammal.
Our job will also include shaming Joe Biden and Tom Carper into supporting Castle’s opponent. I want to see Joe and Tom keynoting fundraisers, appearing at rallys, appearing in ads, maybe doing some token doorknocking.
Thanks for the data, Geezer. I didn’t think she won any DE counties.
Comment by anon on 28 January 2010 at 11:13 am = nonsense
If memory serves me right, Coons crushed, I mean CRUSHED, Tom Gordon in the primary. Some say that Gordon cried like a little boy after that defeat.
You guys sharing the same sources?
http://de2010.com/us-senate/chirp-chirp/
Copeland says maybe he’ll run for the House seat on Republican-friendly WDEL.
Maybe Charlie will go out of town and pretend to wait to be drafted like Bill Lee. Let’s check with his Communications-Director-In-Waiting… nothing yet.
I expected Copeland to run. And he will lose. Mike Protack 2.0. A better model, but still a loser.
This is great news for Castle!
I think we actually have a shot of Biden and Carper throwing their support behind Coons and here why: national media. I have NEVER heard of one of our local senate races being mentioned on national TV, and I’ve heard this upcoming one come up in several instances. First it was obviously all about Beau, but after Mass one of the pundits on Hardball said that the state senate race to watch for trends of “voters rejecting Obama” (ugh whatever) was Delaware. If that narrative keeps up in the pundit-sphere, I can see Biden backing Coons vocally. Otherwise the National media will wonder why the VP is letting “his state” and “his seat” be taken over in his absence.
Its simple folks–Do we want someone in DC working with the president to get things done, or someone who won’t. In the past year, Castle has not supported one piece of the president’s agenda. Why would he change in the senate? Chris has my support.
Just found Chris’s fan page on facebook–only about 200 there so far–let’s push that number up!
Hey anon Castle voted for cap and trade which i feel may be his downfall.
his not voting for the stimulus, yet going to every stimulus announcement in Delaware to mug for the cameras rubbed me the wrong way Bluehen!
“if he campaigns as a full-on Blue Dog (Strong on Defense, Pro Life, NRA member) then it will be a tight race, too close to call.”
ROFL, yeah, we’ll make sure not to throw you in that there briar patch!
“This is great news for Castle!”
I’m totally making that the new meme.
New tag, X.
If I have time tonight, I’ll get a video up.
EDIT: I mean the political kind, not the musical kind.
If castle wins he most likely will be a one term guy.It,s more advantageous for Beau Bidens personal agenda to have Castle win rather than some young democrat who may become popular.Unfortunately Carper isn’t going anywhere soon. I wouldn’t expect too much help from the Biden camp if i were Coons
I don’t care about Beau Biden in this instance. If he wanted to be in the Senate he would have ran for the seat. If Coons wins he will deserve that seat, Beau Biden will have to live with it and the decision he made.
Amen, DD. That’s the risk Biden took by not running now. In fact, he deserves to lose his shot since he took so long to decided and put the real candidate at a $1M+ disadvantage. He’ll just have to wait until Carper retires or if Castle wins, when Castle retires.
In fact, he deserves to lose his shot since he took so long to decided and put the real candidate at a $1M+ disadvantage.
That, UI, is the part that angers me the most. I understand that his plans got thrown off first by Dad vacating the seat early, then by Castle deciding to run for it. I can’t argue with his decision not to run. For a man with a young family and a job he genuinely (at least seemingly) cares about, it’s a very big decision. My point is that he should have been responsible and decided months ago. Since the prevailing wisdom was that he was going to run, not only could no other Dems really announce and start fundraising, but Castle was essentially able to fundraise on the assumption of a race against Biden. Double whammy.
Of course, Dems didn’t have to defer to Beau Biden. One could have declared and put pressure on Biden if they were really serious.
UI, you do remember that we’re in Delaware, right? Not defer to a Biden….well I never…
Coons still rents space at DelDems HQ (and has for years) for his campaign office. To help, start there. Also http://www.chriscoons.com, and volunteer/donate.
To fight Castle, we need to fundraise like crazy for Coons. Hey, that’s it–Crazy for Coons!
One interesting subplot in all this is that Biden seemed to always have had a soft spot in his heart for Tom Gordon, even gave him the rub publicly a few times. How the Bidens play this will be very interesting. Will they go all out, genuinely committing to help Coons win, or will they provide token support in hopes that Castle keeps the seat warm for the Beaudhisattva? Either way, they could come out losers.
I want to see Coons campaign all out. He really just coasted against Gordon last time. If he fights for it, he’s got a great chance to defeat a reluctant candidate (as Biden himself did to Boggs). And he has to have a STRONG DEMOCRATIC RAISON D’ETRE for his candidacy. Should be some fun in store.
As for the Biden-Gordon connection, considering that Gordon was obliterated by Coons, is it even relevant? Gordon has no political future.
Maybe not. ‘Cept Biden publicly praised Gordon while he was running in the primary against Coons. I’m gonna be real interested to see how hard Biden campaigns for Coons.
Well, if the Vice President and the Attorney General do not want to be considered petty ankle bitters that are no better than one Nancy Willing, then they will do everything in their power to help Chris Coons in his race against Mike Castle.
DARN-DARN-DARN–I really like Chris Coons, but I REALLY would have liked to see him run for Congress. AND he could have won.
I am sure Chris has consulted with the White House as he will most definitely need their support. If it wasn’t there, he wouldn’t just put himself out there to be a sacrificial lamb when he has three years left on his current term….
or you can vote for me. After all, I’ve announced.
That’s right Brooke, you’re actually the first officially announced Democratic candidate in the race.
anon…. It is the other way around, as reports are that Vice President Biden, Harry Reid and the DSCC have been calling Coons to beg him into race.
Thank you for noticing, UI. 🙂
Thanks DelDem–that is a good sign then that he will have support and hopefully access to dollars to get up and running…
Yeah, Brooke, what’s your name? Or is this an inside joke deal?
Can someone (like an attorney? or Jason?) answer me this … should people donate to Coons’ state campaign fund that presently exists? Or should they wait until he’s got a federal account set up? My understanding is that state accounts can’t be transferred to federal races.
“If he[Beau] wanted to be in the Senate he would have ran for the seat. If Coons wins he will deserve that seat, Beau Biden will have to live with it and the decision he made.”
I wouldn’t rule out Beau running for Carper’s seat if Tom decides he’s had enough of Washington politics. Tom will be up in 2012 (and in his 60’s), if Beau gets re-elected AG, he’ll be mid-term, have time to get a number of cases and intiatives moved forward that he can take direct credit for and still have the VP to help raise money for a Senate bid. One way or another, our esteemed Blue-dog Senator will discuss this with the influencial before Beau even thinks of giving the idea a second thought.
For now, I hope Chris does announce he’s running so we can get to work.
Brooke Bovard. Link’s on the open thread but I’ll repost it here
http://sites.google.com/site/brookebovardforsenate
“Hey Anonny Nonny:”
Do not donate to Coons’ state fund. Those funds cannot be transferred to a federal race.
hey didn’t the supreme court invalidate all campaign finance restrictions (like moving bucks from a county committee to a national committee)? Oh, that’s right, their only change was to stop restricting corporations.
“Gordon has no political future.”
Doesn’t matter. Biden and Gordon have run in the same cirlces for years, and while Biden kept his mouth shut during the whole scandal (he’s close to federal judge Joe Farnan, too, whom you’ll remember was a partner with Freebery in her foray into SuxCo commercial real estate), since Gordon’s “exoneration,” Biden made a point of snubbing Coons and praising Gordon, as ES recounts above. And FBH is right that a Castle win is better for Beau than a Coons win. Expect a tepid effort from both Bidens, who expend actual political capital on nobody but themselves. Ask Tom Gordon.
‘Xactly, Geezer.
There is no way Chris Coons is going to beat Castle or come close. Chris has too much baggage (I doubt he can threaten everyone into silence)and Delawareans like Mike. National is looking at Chris because they think he has some money to put in, I believe he won’t self fund and even if he puts in some money he would need 3 or 4 million to change public opinion and even that might not work against Castle. He can’t raise that kind of money in Delaware and nationally the money goes to Castle – even from the wealthy Democrats. Coons will get the token “we would like to help you…, the money is held up by… or we already sent you a check-did’nt you get it yet?”
I think I just read the DE GOP talking points, albeit extremely scattered and nonsensical. Thanks for the drive-by of useless information waitandsee. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
I enjoy @waitandsee’s awful analysis. “Too much baggage?”
Interesting and silly. I think Mike Castle has an awful lot of baggage himself. Unfortunately, he’s never had a credible, strong Democrat challenger to grab his little operation by the throat. He does now.
A few points, in no specific order:
1) Christine O’Donnell – She will help to milk him dry.
2) Mike Castle stands in back of comically ARRA large checks, that he voted against. Don’t write checks you can’t cash, Mr. Castle.
3) While Mike Castle was running up deficits in Washington, Chris Coons had to keep a budget balanced back home. Castle was propping up the same bankers who nearly destroyed the real estate market in our nation, and nearly bankrupted New Castle County. Chris Coons had to make the tough decisions while Mr. Castle played with Wall Street bankers in his million-dollar Dupont Circle townhouse.
4) He could always fall off the stage.
Geezer, thank you for posting the facts regarding the 2008 Hartley-Nagle election results. However, I do hope this does not turn into a forum to put down other candidates down who were at least willing to put themselves out there and run when the odds were against them. Both Dennis Spivak, who’s wife had just battled cancer and survived and Karen Hartley-Nagle who discovered she had breast cancer after the 2008 election, now doing well, did us a great service, as well as all the previous Castle opponents. They deserve our thanks and respect for their time, energy, money and efforts put forth when others were only willing to criticize from the sidelines devoid of personal risk and ridicule.
Anyone who follows the county understands their hands are tied by the general assembly-meaning no new revenue can be enacted without their blessing-therefore the only choice has been to raise property taxes. yes the percentage total is eye-catching but when translated to real dollars not so much because the tax base here is so low. If the GOP plan is just going to say he raised taxes such and such and therefore is a bad man, I hope Chris goes after Castle’s crummy voting record!
They get my respect for being willing to stick their necks out, for certain. They lose my respect for running shitty campaigns. There’s a huge difference.
Castle is old, out of touch, and been in Washington too long, was George Bush’s Delaware campaign chairman, and was on watch during the financial meltdown. Any Democrat who can’t make a campaign out of that doesn’t deserve to run.
Castle is old, out of touch, and been in Washington too long, was George Bush’s Delaware campaign chairman, and was on watch during the financial meltdown. Any Democrat who can’t make a campaign out of that doesn’t deserve to run.
I guess the question is, who would pay to put those kind of ads on TV?
No insult intended. Just pointing out what the numbers were for a “generic” Democrat, i.e., an underfunded, low-name-recognition candidate. If Coons, or anyone else, can turn that number around — win 58% in NCCo instead of 42% — he will win.
Those of you “concerned” about supporting an underdog like Coons, I ask when during the campaign did you join the Obama bandwagon? If you have ever heard Chris speak, he’s the real deal. Smart, committed and a servant of the people. I mean the guy is an ethics scholar and incredibly engaging. He’s got the fight in him-do you Dems of Delaware?
“If you have ever heard Chris speak, he’s the real deal. Smart, committed and a servant of the people.”
He needs a speechwriter, though. He often comes off as wonkish, and answers questions in too much detail.
Agreed Geezer, he is going to need to simplify his message in order to get elected but don’t you want someone who can outwit the GOP once in office? My vote is for Coons.
Coons can deliver orally. His comments soared above all others at Littleton Mitchell’s memorial service.
In a state that relies less than others on television, word-of-mouth is crucial. Coons’ tendency to respect the intelligence of his listeners pays dividends.
I expect everyone here will vote for Coons. My criticism was meant as constructive.
And John, even Beau Biden seemed eloquent talking about a person he admires. You don’t get to do much of that campaigning. Chris knows policy in great detail; he just has to remember not to prove it with every answer. That said, he handled himself quite well in his debate against Gordon (the one broadcast on WDEL) when Gordon went on the attack.
That won’t be his challenge this time. Like him or not, Castle has a way of disarming critics and journos with a low-key delivery that makes it sound like he’s not bullshitting even when he is. He’s certainly not Reagan, but he’s similar in that it’s hard to attack him because he won’t lose his temper, making the attacker, not him, look bad.
These are challenges, not impossible tasks.
“Coons can deliver orally.”
So can a hooker.
C’mon, you left yourself wide open for that one.
And Geezer … I’ve noticed that trait with other local government types who try to run for higher office. They’re so bogged down with the nuts & bolts of governing on a daily basis that they assume everyone else is just as up to speed and utterly fascinated with it as they are, when in fact we don’t really give two farts about the history of the county zoning code or whatnot.
“No one in this world has ever lost money by underestimating the attention span of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.” – Charles Blow
Don’t know who Charles Blow is, but he’s clearly a blowhard.
Oooh, look! Shiny flashy object! Paris Hilton! Don’t look behind the curtain! Paul Tsongas who?
“Comment by John Manifold on 30 January 2010 at 6:11 pm:
Coons can deliver orally.”
I guess this locks up the gay vote.
Don’t know who Charles Blow is, …
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/opinion/30blow.html
Really hey nonny? And here I thought I’d found an intelligent board, let’s keep it outa the gutter now kids. Back to real discussion now okay?
Ohhhh boy… you should have been here a year ago, in the glorious dominant days of donviti and jason330. Now that was intelligent commentary soaring high in the skies.
hey anonny nonny is cordially invited to SUCK IT!!
heheheeh.