Delaware GOP Congressman Mike Castle to Run for United States Senate in 2010

Republican Congressman Mike Castle will be running for the United States Senate in Delaware.

Rep. Mike Castle (R), a fixture of Delaware politics and a prominent centrist in the House, will announce Tuesday that he is running for an open Senate seat in 2010 — a victory for Republican strategists in a Democratic-leaning state where Castle has been politically dominant.

Looks like a full court press by the National Republican Senatorial Committee to challenge the Democrats’ super-majority in the United States Senate. This seat was previously occupied by Vice President Joe Biden and Castle’s likely Democrat opponent is Biden’s son, Beau.

More on the race from Jim Geraghty.

Update:

NRSC Chairman Cornyn’s Statement On Rep. Mike Castle’s Senate Candidacy

Today, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), issued the following statement in response to U.S. Representative Mike Castle (R-DE) officially announcing his bid for the U.S. Senate:

“Mike Castle’s announcement today instantly transforms Delaware into one of the most competitive Senate races in the country in 2010. As an independent and experienced statesman who has earned the respect of Republicans and Democrats alike, Congressman Castle has a proven record of representing the people of Delaware in a bipartisan fashion, and we are thrilled that he has decided to take this next step toward extending his career of public service in the United States Senate. The NRSC will ensure that Mike Castle has all the necessary resources to win this seat next November.”