Yesterday's election in Delaware

First, let me make clear that I am not up on Delaware's partisan political scene. I voted once--once--in a Republican primary before yesterday, because a very nice man came to my house and asked for my vote. (He lost.) Often primary day came and went without my participation. I didn't bother to vote because I am more concerned with the Great Issues and ignorant about local issues. Why just pull a lever for someone I know nothing about? So I let the primaries pass me by.

This time I wanted to vote because it seemed that Mike Castle had a chance of winning the seat away from the Democrats. He was pretty wishy-washy, but we in Delaware like them that way. If we want entertainment, we can listen to Joe Biden make a fool of himself. Castle was bland and soothing.

When I got to the polls there was quite a crowd, or what passes for a crowd in Delaware: a smallish assembly of well-behaved quiet people. But though they wouldn't raise eyebrows in New Jersey,it was a crowd by Delaware standards. I counted at least eight people, besides the election officials. That was seven more than the turnout last time I voted in the primary.

I got the feeling that these people were stirred up, in their courteous and civilized way, and I was sure that most of them did not turn up to vote for Mike Castle. I got a sense that they showed up to vote against Mike Castle. I figured he would lose, and he did.I had a feeling that many more people turned up
because they wanted to vote against anybody.

My support of Castle was pretty lukewarm, but I was surprised by the victory of O'Donnell, who has been a perennial candidate ever since I moved to Delaware, running for anything and everything. Well, this time she won the lottery.

Castle's reaction was very surprising, though. I thought he would act the gentleman and vow to support the winner. That's how professionals do it. Better men than he have conceded defeat. But he chose to act like a sorehead. That kind of behavior is just plain mean.

So maybe the voice of the people is the voice of God?