Delaware Con Carney

In a move that wasn't unexpected, ex-LG/'08 GOV candidate John Carney (D) entered the race against Rep. Mike Castle (R) today.

"In the tradition of Vice-President and former Senator Biden and Senator Carper, I'll be a strong, independent voice in Congress for all Delawareans and I will work with President Obama and his administration to get our economy moving again," Carney said in an email statement.

Castle sits in a precarious seat; he's one of just six GOPers who sit in CDs that went for John Kerry in '04 and Obama in '08. In fact, Obama won DE with 62% of the vote. But Castle's strength as a moderate GOPer, along with the relative weakness of his Dem opponents, has led to his solid re-elections in the past.

Carney's entry changes those dynamics. This race will likely be a competitive contest -- that is, if Castle does indeed run for re-election. He's reportedly considering a SEN bid, or he may choose to retire. In the 1stQ, he raised more than $74K, and while he has more than $800K CoH, that 1stQ number is still a relatively weak one for a candidate preparing for a tough re-election or a SEN battle.

If Castle does not run, Carney will be the favorite to capture the seat for Dems. GOPers have almost no bench in the state.

(TIM SAHD)