Beau Biden Announces He Won't Seek Senate Seat

Beau Biden Declines U.S. Senate Bid


Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden announced Monday that he will not run for the Senate in 2010, a development which puts the GOP in a commanding position to claim the seat once held by his father, Vice President Joe Biden.

“I have a duty to fulfill as Attorney General – and the immediate need to focus on a case of great consequence. And that is what I must do,” Biden said in a statement. “Therefore I cannot and will not run for the United States Senate in 2010. I will run for reelection as Attorney General.”

Biden’s decision dealt a serious blow to Democratic hopes of retaining the seat and puts the party at a decided disadvantage against Republican Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.), the popular former governor and veteran congressman who has comfortably won reelection since first winning his House seat in 1992.

Of his son’s decision, the vice president said in a statement: "I know I sound like the proud father I am, but all of his life, Beau has put duty above any personal ambition, and this decision today is another example of that exceptional character trait. Jill and I are so proud of our son and feel fortunate as Delawareans that he is our Attorney General."

Though Castle had been leading Biden in the polls by a small margin, Biden was widely believed to be the only potential Democratic candidate who could knock off the 70-year-old congressman, just as Castle was widely thought to be the only Republican capable of winning the seat in the solidly Democratic state.

Castle has outperformed the past five GOP presidential nominees by more than 20 percentage points and ran roughly 25 points ahead of John McCain in 2008, when Barack Obama won a landslide 62 percent to 37 percent victory in Delaware.

Appointed Democratic Sen. Ted Kaufman made clear from the beginning of his tenure that he would not run for the seat in 2010. On Monday, in the wake of Biden’s announcement, Kaufman said he would not alter his plans.

“Serving the people of Delaware in the U.S. Senate is as fulfilling, challenging, and humbling as I imagined when I was appointed,” he said in a statement. “But as I said at the time, I will not seek election to a full term. I will continue to spend my time as senator serving the people of Delaware and our nation, and not running for office. It is a commitment I made when appointed, and one I will fulfill.”

One early name mentioned as a possible Democratic challenger to Castle is New Castle County Executive Chris Coons, who represents a majority of the state’s population.



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Sources: Politico, Google Maps