Castle write-in could cut Dem lead in Delaware

Published September 25, 2010 4:00am ET



A write-in candidacy by Rep. Mike Castle, a moderate Republican, in the Delaware senate race could hurt Democratic candidate Chris Coons, though apparently not enough to really help Republican candidate Christine O’Donnell, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll released Monday.

O’Donnell, a Tea Party candidate who beat Castle in the GOP primary earlier this month, trails Coons by 9 points, according to Rasmussen’s poll of 500 likely voters in Delaware.

The poll shows Coons with 49 percent of the vote and O’Donnell with 40 percent. Castle got 5 percent. Most polls have shown Coons polling above 50 percent, so a Castle candidacy may reduce his lead.

Castle has not announced whether he will pursue a write-in campaign.