“As always, they tell part of the truth, but not the whole truth,’’ said Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political analyst. “This is going to be a very tough year for Democrats, and that would have included even Beau Biden in Delaware.’’
Biden’s decision was a surprise, given that his father’s longtime confidant and former Senate chief of staff, Ted Kaufman, was appointed to the seat essentially to keep it warm for the son until this year’s election.
Mike Castle, a longtime Republican representative, a two-term governor, and one of the most successful politicians in Delaware history, entered the Senate race in October, dramatically increasing the likelihood of a fierce contest.
Biden’s decision leaves the seat his father held for 36 years vulnerable as Democrats and their leader, President Obama, respond to Republican Scott Brown’s victory last week for the Senate seat long held by the late Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts.
“I don’t think you can underestimate Massachusetts,’’ Sabato said. “The fact that Massachusetts happened tells you that the underlying conditions were not favorable for Democrats, even in a Democratic state like Delaware.’’
With Kaufman sticking to the pledge he made when appointed that he would not campaign to serve the remaining four years of Joe Biden’s Senate term, Democrats may turn to New Castle County Chief Executive Chris Coons, who said he would take time to speak with family members and others before making a decision to run or not.
Democrats try to tame deficit with budget rules
WASHINGTON - Democrats are trying to toughen budget rules to make it more difficult to run up the deficit with new tax cuts or federal benefit programs, a move Republicans say is a recipe for tax increases.
The proposal by Senate majority leader Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, would make it harder to extend permanently some tax cuts that expire at the end of this year, renew health care subsidies for laid-off workers that expire next month, or offer more Medicaid help to states.
