Booing Michael Castle and More Serious Heresies
Eschaton wrote, “I’ve been long fascinated by the elite consensus that there’s something distasteful about running primary challengers against incumbents. Certainly primary challenges can be strategically stupid (…) but they provide one of the very few checks on legislator behavior that the people have.“
That got me to thinking about this comment from a First State Politics thread,
“Great timing for McCain, announcing that Delaware’s least popular Republican will be running his campaign.
FSP, I hear Castle got booed last night in Sussex?”
Michael Castle is getting booed? He voted 100% for Pelosi’s first 100 days legislation, voted for the Democratic anti-surge resolution but it is very unlikely that he will not face a primary opponent. Why? Is he made out of glass?
C’mon conservative delawareliberal reader’s speak up. What is the deal with Castle? When did you Republicans become such a bunch of out and out wimps?
Tags: local R's
I love the idea of Mike Castle spending the next year and a half defending Democratic positions to Sussex County Republicans.
Don’t try to understand it; just enjoy the show.
Yeah, because your interest in seeing Castle primaried is clearly to see the Republican Party in better shape.
The idea that we somehow avoid primaries is silly. 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000….
Actually, I’d like to see a full blown Republican civil war. Anything you can do to advance that would be sincerely appreciated.
Actually, I’d like to see a full blown Republican civil war
These guys are WAY ahead of you.
THAT is a great posting. The Cheese-eating surrender monkeys is a great name for a caucus.
If you’re in Delaware, and you’re talking about civil war, you should be talking tothese guys.
I liked the Red State commenter who included this nugget of wisdom.
“Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled, or hanged.”
Holy cow!
And it’s not just the right.
Castle is SOL; he has no friends on the left or on the right. He can maybe still claim to represent the center, but he is vulnerable to emerging events over the next year; stuff could happen in the Middle East and in the economy that would change the way the center sees him.
Also, there are upcoming spending and tax votes that will further define Castle to both sides.
I liked the Red State commenter who included this nugget of wisdom. “Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime…
That is the bogus Lincoln quote that made the rounds of the right-wing blogs, and then was repeated on the floor of the House by Rep. Don Young.
If you’re in Delaware, and you’re talking about civil war, you should be talking tothese guys. (Markell/Carney)
OK, maybe one of you guys could put up a tracking poll:
Who would you vote for for Congress in 2008:
Carney
Castle
Markell
Good plan. Saves me figuring out the Thursday tracking poll….
Primary Castle? Depends on what we’re trying to do. Make a punishing political point or keep our one last Republican in office. Half a Republican is better than none.
Uh-oh, an outbreak of Blogger Fever. Anon writes,
“Castle is SOL; he has no friends on the left or on the right. He can maybe still claim to represent the center, but he is vulnerable to emerging events over the next year; stuff could happen in the Middle East and in the economy that would change the way the center sees him.”
Yes, that accurately presents the views of the politically active in Delaware. Now that we’ve dealt with 3% of the electorate, maybe you can explain why the rest will change their minds about him. He will keep his seat as long as he cares to run for the office, unless he pulls a Bill Roth and keels over in public.
He will keep his seat as long as he cares to run for the office
Exactly. The Dems’ job is to help make that decision easier for him. A primary challenge from the right would help too.
57% is awfully close to 49%, and Castle knows it. Castle has done nothing to increase his margin since 2006.
In 2008 Castle will surely lose some Republican votes based on his recent votes, and I doubt he will make up the difference by attracting new crossover Dems.
In 2008 Castle will have his hands full first trying to avoid a serious primary, and then avoiding debates with (hopefully) a strong Dem challenger. I’m not sure he’s up to that (politically, not necessarily health-wise).
Hey Geek, next time throw Christine O’Donnell in the tracking poll.
Christine, if you primary Mike Castle I’ll give you a long backrub, and if you run as an independent – oh my.
I’m not sure he’s up to that (politically, not necessarily health-wise).
Health-wise either. Did you read the Delaware Today story? He must have said “I feel fine” nine times.
Oh, please. “Anon” must be shorthand for “Jason.” You think 57 is close to 49? In a year when Democratic candidates got all kinds of windfall votes? Dream on, sucker. As I said, the seat is his as long as he wants it. What you don’t know about Delaware politics would fill a blog.
Maybe Sussex County Republicans enraged at Castle’s recent votes can be mollified if he just buys them a big enough pile of sand.
Al,
We know what “3% of the electorate” thinks, what about the man on the street?
Does this worry anyone in the Castle camp?
“We all like and respect U.S. Rep. Michael Castle for his moderate views. However, his latest move is a straddle-the-fence vote against bolstering troops in Iraq while saying he is not for cutting funds for the war.
That is like saying he does not want those soldiers in Iraq to get more help to succeed, but he does want them to struggle along using funds to continue. It is obvious he is not the patriot soldier type.
We should warn him that fence-straddling is a dangerous political trick. When you do it too often, your masculinity gets caught between the pickets in the fence and the damage may become permanent.
I think this latest straddle has done the job. Now he can call himself a Democrat, and leave an opening in the House of Representatives for a true Republican.
Lt. Col. Charles N. Valenti, U.S. Army Ret., Rehoboth Beach”
What Col. Valenti does not know is that Castle has nothing down there to damaged.