Democrats Should Do to Mike Castle What They Did to Sue Lowden

During the Nevada Republican Senate primary, Democrats figured out which candidate they wanted to face in the general (Sharron Angle) and which candidate they did not (Sue Lowden), and so got to work to make sure they got their preferred match up. Although the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee didn't run any ads hitting Lowden, it did put up a website hammering her position that patients should be allowed to barter chickens for healthcare. (One group, Patriot Majority, did go on-air with the hit.) In the end, between paid and earned media, the Democrats' favored candidate emerged from the GOP primary, and incumbent Harry Reid holds a noticeable lead after having previously trailed for the entire cycle.

Why do I rehash this history? Today the Democrats may have an opportunity to replicate their success in Delaware, where Republican voters will soon be going to the polls to select their Senate nominee: either moderate Congressman Mike Castle or tea party favorite Christine O’Donnell.

It should be clear to the Democrats which candidate they would prefer to face. Castle, who has won statewide election in Delaware a dozen times over the past three decades, is sitting on a 14-point advantage over Democrat Chris Coons. O'Donnell, on the other hand, has trailed in recent polling -- by a 7-point margin in a Public Policy Polling survey (.pdf) and a 10-point margin in Rasmussen Reports polling, both from last month.

So why don't the Democrats, or allies of the party, get involved now, two weeks out from election day? The Tea Party Express has already pledged $600,000 to the race, and Castle is apparently concerned enough to pour a six-figure sum into his primary campaign. Although election day is near, it's probably not too late to get the extra hit on Castle that could help get him knocked out of this closed primary. Seems like a no-brainer, if the Democrats can spare a couple or few hundred thousand dollars.