Democratic disappointment about losing state Attorney General Beau Biden as a candidate in Delaware's open Senate contest will be mollified somewhat by some good recruiting news out of the state with the news that New Castle County Executive Chris Coons is in:
“People here in Delaware are hurting, and Congress has failed to deliver the change we voted for in 2008. I’m running to bring new energy and a new approach to Washington," Coons said in a news release.
“Before I was elected in 2004, the county government was mired in scandal. I restored integrity and confidence in county government. I cut wasteful spending, helped businesses to create jobs, and made our communities safer. I want to take my strong track record of getting real results to the U.S. Senate because the people of Delaware deserve leadership that represents their values.”
Coons, 46, was first elected New Castle County Executive back in 2004 with 58% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2008 without opposition in the general election. He also has quite the ringing endorsement from a pretty knowledgeable Delaware politico--Vice President Joe Biden:
"We have a first-rate candidate now," Biden said. "We have a county executive, a young guy named Chris Coons who has two graduate degrees... The fact of the matter is that I predict to you that Chris Coons is going to surprise the devil out of them."
Coons starts off with a name recognition deficit to make up, and he admits that the presumptive Republican nominee, Congressman Mike Castle, will begin the campaign with a lead. A late Fall DK/R2K poll gave Castle a twelve-point edge over Coons (51-39). Rasmussen had a wider lead for Castle in a poll last month.