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Storming the Castle

By W. James Antle, III on 9.9.10 @ 5:17PM

Now that Sarah Palin has endorsed Christine O'Donnell for Senate in Delaware, the O'Donnell campaign is starting to look like a typical Tea Party success story along the lines of Rand Paul in Kentucky, Ken Buck in Colorado, Sharron Angle in Nevada or Joe Miller in Alaska. Since that's a familiar storyline, let's look at the other side of it: we now also have a few examples of establishment candidates beating back conservative insurgents. Could Mike Castle emulate any of them the way O'Donnell can Paul or Miller?

Confining my examples to Senate races, the Republican establishment has rallied with Mark Kirk in Illinois, Dan Coats in Indiana, Carly Fiorina in California, and John McCain in Arizona. Kelly Ayotte looks like a decent bet to win in New Hampshire too. Coats, Fiorina, McCain, and possibly Ayotte all benefited from the perception that they were at least conservative enough. Coats and Ayotte faced more than one major conservative opponent. Fiorina had a candidate to her left enter the primary and take an initial lead in the polls based on name recognition.

No Republican to the left of Castle is likely to be found, not even in Delaware. He has only one conservative primary challenger. And Castle might have trouble arguing that he is at least conservative enough. So what to do? At first, it looked like Kirk would be the closest parallel. Defeating Kirk in the primary never became a national conservative crusade; Kirk's main primary opponent failed to attract enough support inside or outside Illinois to become a serious threat. But that ship has now sailed. Defeating Castle is a conservative cause celebre and O'Donnell's candidacy has reached critical mass.

Castle is starting to channel McCain: attack your conservative primary opponent often (O'Donnell hasn't exactly been a shrinking violet either). But unlike McCain, he did not do so early. It's not clear whether he'll be able to define her as effectively as McCain defined J.D. Hayworth. And while being aggressive is important, it can only get you so far -- just ask Trey Grayson, the man who lost to Rand Paul.

Basically, Castle's strongest argument is that he can win in November. If O'Donnell's camp has something stronger to rebut this than a single July Rasmussen poll showing her ahead by a statistically insignificant margin, I haven't seen it. But the trouble is, as far as I can see this argument hasn't worked so well for establishment candidates going as far back as the NY-23 special congressional election in 2009 -- and Castle shares more than a few ideological traits with Dede Scozzafava.

View all comments (31) | Leave a comment

Booger | 9.9.10 @ 6:21PM

The argument that the sand Castle will give the G.O.P. a majority may well be flawed on two points: 1) Considering his lack of Republican principles, what's to prevent his pulling an Arlen Specter (or Charlie Crist or Murkowski) once safely ensconed in the Senate and change sides? 2) 2012 will offer even more pick up chances in the Senate than 2010. If the Republicans do manage a narrow majority in 2010, and then accomodate Obama's agenda due to RINO recalcitrance, it could actually hurt the potential gains of 2012. A prinicpled minority with enough votes to filibuster would be preferable than a go-along-get-along RINO majority.

warrior449@yahoo.com| 9.9.10 @ 9:59PM

You are correct. People keep glossing over the fact that the democrats won the large majorities because of the republicans steady slide to the left. Liberals run campaigns with right leaning platforms and it is effective because they point to the republicans who increased the size of government, ran large deficits and forged ahead with issues that were unpopular to the majority. Now seeing the progressives are worse, the republicans have no platform to run on. They don't hide their warts, they just try and tell everyone they have smaller warts than the other party. I would take an unknown in O'Donnell and give her a chance than to continue the same two step dance that is killing this country.

The Tea Parties are a joke| 9.9.10 @ 10:56PM

The Democrats won by choosing candidates that were representative of the districts in which they ran. They ran more moderate candidates in the moderate to conservative districts and they stuck with liberals in the liberal districts. The Tea Party morons want to run ultra-conservatives in conservative states and ultra-conservatives in liberal states. The position of the inceasingly-detached-from-reality Tea Party groups can be boiled down to the following positions:
1)We don't care if the Republican party is a minority party forever because we care more about purging RINOs than forging a governing coalition that can move the country in a direction different than the last two years.
2)Ronald Reagan's notion of a big-tent party should be trashed so that the Republican Party can be made into an ideologically pure permanent minority party in our image.

I might support O'Donnell, actually I won't because she is an unemployed liar who has never accomplished anything, if the Tea Party morons can answer the following question: how is it possible to stop the agenda of the far left if the Republicans are constantly in the minority and they become a regional party, which is the path down which you are taking us?

If I can get a decent answer to that question, I might support the idiotic, airheaded, perpetually unemployed, no-accomplishment candidate that is Christine O'Donnell. The only "job" the woman has had for the past six years is running for office.

Dianna| 9.10.10 @ 12:25AM

Why so angry? Someone needs to take his chill-pill.

Nick| 9.10.10 @ 9:37AM

You obviously don't know anything about Miss O'Donnell.

That, or you are one of Castle's grandkids.
Go away, hack.

Bmogo| 9.10.10 @ 11:08AM

Tea Parties are a Joke said:

f I can get a decent answer to that question, I might support the idiotic, airheaded, perpetually unemployed, no-accomplishment candidate that is Christine O'Donnell. The only "job" the woman has had for the past six years is running for office.
************************

Whew....for a moment there I thought you were talking about Barack Obama.

Brooke| 9.10.10 @ 9:36PM

LOL!

democratsarefascists| 9.9.10 @ 6:43PM

"Because Castle can win."
Gee, that sounds familiar.
Oh yeah, the same reasoning that lost Massachusetts for the Democrats.

O'Donnell is a nut| 9.9.10 @ 8:33PM

Now that Sarah Palin has endorsed Christine "O'Donnell for Senate in Delaware, the O'Donnell campaign is starting to look like a typical Tea Party success story along the lines of Rand Paul in Kentucky, Ken Buck in Colorado, Sharron Angle in Nevada or Joe Miller in Alaska."

Wow, talk about counting your chickens before they hatch. And at least all the candidates named as success stories actually have a chance to win the general. No such thing can be said of O'Duncell. If she wins in the primary and loses to Coons in the general, as she almost certainly will, everyone who supported that unserious, airheaded idiot of a candidate should be forced to eat feces-covered crow.

RightKlik| 9.9.10 @ 10:05PM

I don't see any substance in this kind of statement. How much does Castle pay people to make this kind of disgusting statement?

Concerned| 9.10.10 @ 12:26AM

Probably a lot, like the boob, Romney.

Raymond| 9.10.10 @ 6:55AM

Ah, yeah...because money is tight now in the United States due to economic melt-down, a majority of Americans are losing their moral principles and can easily be paid of by rich politicians like Mitt Romney. Americans are losing their values now and can cling to paid black propaganda. :(

Brooke| 9.10.10 @ 1:18PM

RINOs don't have any moral principles to lose.

Reaganaut| 9.9.10 @ 9:32PM

"Basically, Castle's strongest argument is he can win in November"

Duh, no, although that's not an inconsequential element of his appeal. Castle's strongest argument is he can effectively represent Delaware and American interests in Washington. O'Donnell has accomplished nothing ever, as far as anyone who evaluates her record would know.

Is he perfect? No one is. But, Christine O'Donnell is no more than an empty canvas upon which every frustrated voter can paint his or her hopes and dreams. Unfortunately, she is using every one of her supporters to further her own agenda, whatever that may be (maybe to pay next month's rent). She has co-opted the current political tide which has somehow removed every critical function from some people's antennae and allows them to blindly follow any one who is opposing a Republican that hasn't voted 100% according to their absolute test.

Palin hasn't supported another Mama Grizzlie, she's supported a Mamma Fraud. I wonder how much Palin really knows about Christine O'Donnell?

Go Castle.

RightKlik| 9.9.10 @ 10:09PM

If Deleware wants to send a liberal supporter of the Obama agenda to the Senate, let the Democrats supply the candidate. If there's any hope for moving this country in a new direction, Republicans will stop promoting Big-Government statists.

O'Donnell is a nut| 9.9.10 @ 11:09PM

Yeah, the guy who voted against Obamacare and the stimulus is such a rubber stamp of the Obama agenda. For the love of God, would some of the thick-headed imbeciles here please get it through their skulls that LIBERAL STATES DO NOT ELECT ULTRA-CONSERVATIVES. Castle has a lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union of 52%. According to National Review, Coons's lifetime rating would be 12%. Now you can either choose the guy who with the 52% rating or you can help elect the guy who actually would vote with Obama on everything. Strategically, a vote for O'Donnell is a vote for Coons. And at least Coons has worked within the past five years.

When are some of you people going to wise up to the fact that the vast majority of the country, including 90% of the electorate in the majority of the Northeast (as evidenced by ONE REPUBLICAN SENATOR AND TWO REPRESENTATIVES IN THE ENTIRE REGION), is not as conservative as people who post at rightwing blogs? It is stupid in the extreme to think that the Republican Party and its voters should give potential candidates the following two options:
a)be all the way to the far right of the political spectrum
b) join the Democratic Party.

That is the choice supporters of the unemployed liar candidate Christine O'Donnell want every Republican in the country to be forced to make. The bottom line is this: if you think you are going to form a majority party that can stop the destructive Obama agenda by running candidates in Delaware that are right wing even by Utah standards, you are a moron with a sub-50 IQ.

Siegfried X| 9.9.10 @ 11:29PM

How is it possible to stop the agenda of the far left by electing RINOs who agree with it?

Concerned| 9.10.10 @ 12:28AM

It isn't; I wish we could kick all of them out of our party.

Nickk| 9.10.10 @ 9:35AM

Calling people morons?

What a great way to win people to your side.
Keep it up dope. You are helping Miss O'Donnell win!

SoCon| 9.10.10 @ 1:20PM

Hey, I like that extra 'k' Nickk!! It gives your name a little more kickk. :)

Nick| 9.10.10 @ 7:41PM

SoCon,

Thanks!
But, it's just a typo. I could lie, and claim it was supposed to be like "Nikki Six."

I'm sure the liberals will say I forgot a "K"!
They're so predictable.

SoCon| 9.10.10 @ 9:37PM

Yeah, but we know who the real fascists are.

Siegfried X| 9.9.10 @ 11:18PM

The electability argument is total nonsense. If there is only one conservative primary candidate, then that is the only acceptable vote. It is insanity to surrender before fighting out of fear that we might lose the battle.

This is another reason why I am an independent conservative instead of a Republican. While Democrats look for ways to win, Republicans desperately seek some way to surrender, some way to lose.

Watching Republicans vs. Democrats is like cub scouts vs. a motorcycle gang. Watching Republican politics is also like watching a rigged prize fight in which my fighter falls to the ground, pretending to be knocked down by punches that never came close to him.

Siegfried X| 9.9.10 @ 11:21PM

Conservatives can win anywhere, including Democratic left-wing states. Ronald Reagan proved that. Another example is in Illinois, where cap & trade RINO Kirk is just barely even with his Democratic opponent, but the solid conservative candidate for governor has a large lead. Conservatism wins, while Democrat Lite moderation loses.

Concerned| 9.10.10 @ 12:29AM

Great post! Thank you.

KansasGirl| 9.10.10 @ 4:33AM

The man is a dimmie. Kick him to the curb.

Mark| 9.11.10 @ 11:02AM

For those saying that Conservatives don't win in the North East - what happened in NJ? Now Christie endorsed Castle, sure. Obviously the party got to him. That's ok because we all know how this works now. Although I think Christie may have shot himself in the foot. He would have been better off not saying anything at all. But my point is they said "no way" would Christie win in NJ. It's too moderate of a state. Well, here we are.

To you people that say she can't win so why support her... What is wrong with you? Ask yourself this question: Would you prefer a moderate, or a conservative? If you prefer a conservative then GET BEHIND CHRISTINE. If you prefer a moderate - then why are you here?

The moderates in the Republican party are going to be weeded out one by one. This includes Castle, Tom Ross, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and everyone else. It will be a process, and will not all happen overnight or over the next 5 years, but it will be done. It's the only way to save our country. So either get behind the movement, join the other side, or start a third party. Because the RINOs are over.

Brooke| 9.11.10 @ 12:11PM

Pretty ironic that Christie would endorse Castle because O'Donnell is "unelectable." Ironic indeed.

How soon they forget.

shipley130| 9.12.10 @ 6:42PM

I think even Pee Wee Herman knows that Hamas doesn't want peace. I wish the Media would stop wasting their time on this mid east peace crap. Hillary Clinton is an over paid, fat waste of tax payer dollars.

RICHARD MILLS| 9.16.10 @ 3:53PM

09/16/10
JUST REPORTED CORRUPTION TO
COUNT EXECUTIVE CHRIS COONS
BELOW IS A CC: TO ME FROM CHRIS COONS FOR SENATE WEBSITE (SEE BELOW)

----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Mills, Victim of Crime
Sent: 09/16/10 03:11 PM
To: richardmillsfacebook@gmx.com
Subject: Chris Coons for U.S. Senate

Dear Chris,

I have reported a serious matter involving U.S. DOJ wrongdoing and case related child abduction to the U.S. AG and Delaware AG.

My former Delaware address was 550 S. Dupont PKWY Unit 9D New Castle, DE 19720. Senator Tom Carper also advised FBI oversight in December 2008 but I still fail to receive appropriate assistance?

I was shocked when I did not receive assistance from New Castle, DE Police?
I now request special assistance from your office. What I really need from your offices is for someone to act on my behalf to communicate with the U.S. DOJ, States of DE, N.J. & PA. My Federal divorce fraud case fails to be prosecuted and Legal venue needs to be re-confirmed as I am receiving conflicting information and have received very unfriendly receptions from offices that should bend over backwards to help me and my family. I was promised and need Federal victim-witness protection.

Also your communications on my behalf will clarify legal venue - N.J., PA or will the case be prosecuted in Washington D.C. ?I have sent other e-mails but wanted to clarify what type of assistance that I am looking for.

Again I have reported corruption and case related child abduction of my 10 year old daughter Allison Brittany Mills.My daughter attends Fleetwood Elementary School located in Mt. laurel, N.J. Her mother and grandfather have unlawfully taken my child from me.

I fail to be assisted appropriately by the Camden, N.J. & SE PA DOJ offices concerning my Federal divorce fraud case. N.J. Assistant Attorney General Phillip Kwon was assigned to prosecute N.J. Attorney General Case#200706634 (Burlington County N.J. Divorce Fraud) in 2009 while he then still worked for the U.S. Attorneys office.

On April 26, 2010 I was advised by Former SE PA U.S. Attorney Michael Levy that the SE PA DOJ would in fact prosecute my case.

I was also wrongly jailed in N.J., locked up in Camden and Burlington County N.J. prisons Sept. 18, 2009 - October 15, 2009. I have reported this crime and await state & Federal assistance.

I seek your assitance with writing letters or filing a motion to ensure I receive Fed. Witness Protection. See my reports and legal documents @ Http://www.Facebook.com/FightCorruptionUSA

PA Rep. Sestak advised FBI oversight of this matter on Jan. 05, 2010 but I still fail to be assisted by the U.S. DOJ?
Thank you for your immediate action.

Sincerely,
Richard Mills - Victim of Crime
1360 Ridge Ave (Mail only)
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Tel: 856-874-4077
Cell: 267-456-1306

Chris has led in New Castle County since 2004, turning the county around by working to protect and improve the quality of life for more than 530,000 Delawareans. He has also worked with several non-profits, including the Council for the Homeless, the education-oriented “I Have a Dream” Foundation, and the South African Council of Churches, and serves on several boards including First State Innovation, the Bear/Glasgow Boys & Girls Club, and the Delaware College of Art & Design. I hope you'll visit his website, http://www.chriscoons.com, to learn more about Chris, what he stands for, and why we need to help elect him to the Senate.

Mike Petracco| 9.16.10 @ 4:05PM

Delawarians,

Rich Mills my friend speaks the Truth!
All of his friends at the Dove Diner in New Castle can confirm all of the abuse Mr.. Mills endured!!!
He really got the run around from the local FBI and Wilmington / New Castle County Police.

I even witnessed security arrest him without cause at the Dover State Capital when Rich brought evidence to the Delaware Law & Public safety Senate Committee. Senator Dori Connor is god awful too! JUST TERRIBLE!!! She promised to help my friend Rich Mills but that was a VERY EMPTY PROMISE! He was later jailed without cause at Gander Hill Prison for nine days.

Can you say FBI COVER UP!
See Richard Mills Reports @ Congress.org
Google Search:
1) Report U.S. DOJ Wrongdoing / Congress.org
2) Report Federal Corruption / Congress.org

Mike Petracco