Delaware Rep. Mike Castle told reporters Wednesday evening just off the House floor that he hasn't ruled out a write-in GOP Senate bid - though he said such an effort remained unlikely.
"I don't want to necessarily interfere with Republican chances," said Castle, although he added, "I've had a lot of people approach me about it."
Castle has at least weighed the option enough to know some rules regarding mounting a big: "Let's put it this way - you sign up to be a write-in by Sept. 30," he said.
Allahpundit wonders why it always seems to be those filthy moderate Republicans who end up eschewing calls for unity and refusing to play ball after losing primary elections. That behavioral pattern might make for a fascinating RINO vs. Wing-Nut doctoral thesis one day, but likely would not have applied to this race. Why not? Leading up to the Delaware primary, when some "Beltway elitist" types were nervous that Christine O'Donnell might forge ahead with a write-in effort if she lost to Castle, I reported that they had ample reason for concern: She had done exactly that four years ago:
O'Donnell either needs to win the GOP primary on September 14, or her name will not appear on the ballot. Her only recourse would be a write-in campaign...which she has done before.
In 2006, O'Donnell lost the GOP Senate primary, declared herself a write-in candidate, and garnered over 4 percent of the vote.
Now, just over a week after Delaware voters rendered their verdict, that entire scenario has been turned on its head. O'Donnell is the GOP standard-bearer who's practically printing money as her general election fight heats up; Castle's been reduced to whispering to reporters about write-in filing deadlines and griping about talk radio (although on that point, he has some legitimate beef: Rush and Sean both misspoke about his voting record on the stimulus and Obamacare, respectively).
Give it up, Congressman. You're only hurting your nominal party's chances.....or are you?