This Drew Volturo election wrap up story yesterday’s DSN gets to the heart of why it sucks that Karen Hartley Nagle ran such a shitty, lackluster, no account campaign.
Shell-shocked Del. Republicans have two years to rebuild
Two years ago, Republicans mourned their Election Day defeats and then-party chair Terry Strine pledged that the GOP must re-evaluate itself.
But Tuesday night was déjà vu all over again, perhaps even worse. Republicans lost four of five statewide races — by a range of 16.5 to 35.5 percentage points — lost three seats in the Senate and most significantly, lost their grip on the last bastion of GOP control in state government, the House of Representatives.
Even one of the party’s rising stars, Sen. Charles L. Copeland, who has been mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate, lost his race for lieutenant governor by 22.6 points.
It was a stunning across-the-board defeat that left the GOP with only 22 of 71 statewide or legislative elected offices. “I think the writing has been on the wall for some time,” retired University of Delaware political science professor Dr. James R. Soles said Wednesday.“Party leadership in Delaware the last six to eight years has not done the Republican Party any favors. They are more conservative than Delaware Republicans are as a whole … Delaware Republicans are usually moderate.”
An example of that moderation is Rep. Michael N. Castle, R-Del., one of the few bright spots for the Republican Party Tuesday night. Despite the Democratic wave that ousted seven incumbent Republican state House members, Rep. Castle handily won a record ninth term by 23.1 percentage points. He often is regarded as one of the more moderate members of Congress.
Notice anyhting?
By running so badly KHN just confirmed the myth that Castle is a moderate. She has made it all the more difficult for some decent candiate to take him out next time.
Luckly, the silver lining for Demcorats is that the GOP is stuck with that POS Castle. He is clearly in charge of this recent debacle and is looking forward to future debacles (for the GOP).
During the GOP’s results-watching party Tuesday night, Rep. Castle said he believes that the people of the country and the state embrace the beliefs of moderate Republicanism and that Republicans need to be the loyal opposition until leading again.
“We need to seek out strong candidates and encourage them to run,” Rep. Castle said. “And we need a close look at our policies.” He suggested that the results of his race showed that moderate Republicanism is popular in the state despite the outcomes of many of the other races.
State GOP chairman Thomas Ross said the Republican Party encountered a “perfect storm for Democrats,” with President-elect Barack Obama energizing minority and young voters, Vice President- elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. firing up Delawareans and voters generally frustrated with a deeply unpopular Bush administration.
Despite the defeats, Mr. Ross said the party….