Michael N. Castle

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Michael N. Castle
U.S. Representative from Delaware
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1993
Preceded by	Thomas R. Carper
Governor of Delaware
In office January 15, 1985 – December 31, 1992
Preceded by	Pierre S. du Pont, IV
Succeeded by	Dale E. Wolf
Lt. Governor of Delaware
In office January 20, 1981 – January 15, 1985
Preceded by	James D. McGinnis
Succeeded by	Shien Biau Woo
Born	July 2, 1939 (1939-07-02) (age 68) Wilmington, Delaware
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Jane DiSabatino
Residence	Wilmington, Delaware
Alma mater	Hamilton College
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Roman Catholic
Nickname(s)	Mike

Michael Newbold "Mike" Castle (born July 2, 1939) is an American lawyer and incumbent U.S. Representative from Delaware, currently serving his eighth term, from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He is a member of the Republican Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly, as Lieutenant Governor of Delaware, two terms as Governor of Delaware.

[edit] Early life and family

Castle was born July 2, 1939 in Wilmington, Delaware. He is a graduate of Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, and Georgetown University School of Law. He married Jane DiSabatino in 1992; they have no children. They are members of the Roman Catholic Church.

[edit] Early Delaware political career

Lt. Governor Castle (left) with Governor Dick Thornburgh of Pennsylvania (center) and Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, July 1982.

Castle was Deputy Attorney General in Delaware from 1965 until 1966, and was elected to the Delaware House of Representatives in 1966. He served one term there during the 1967/68 session, and then was elected to the Delaware State Senate, serving two terms from the 1969/70 session through the 1975/76 session. Following this, he returned to the full time practice of law.

In 1980, Castle was recruited to run for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware by the incumbent Governor, Pierre S. du Pont, IV. With that endorsement, he was elected, defeating State Senator Thomas B. Sharp. He served one term from January 20, 1981 to January 15, 1985.

[edit] Governor of Delaware

As the hand-picked choice of the popular Governor du Pont, he easily won election as Governor of Delaware, defeating former Delaware Supreme Court Justice William T. Quillen. In the campaign, Castle was criticized for being a shadow of his mentor, and only promising an extension of du Pont’s program. Despite this criticism, Delaware voters elected him to another term in 1988, when he defeated Democrat Jacob Kreshtool. Castle served two terms from January 15, 1985 to December 31, 1992, when he resigned to begin his first term as U.S. Representative.

Castle’s terms marked the full establishment of what Delaware political commentator Celia Cohen has called “the Age of Incumbency.” Following du Pont’s very successful and popular terms as Governor, Delaware politics seemed to have reached a consensus, with leaders of both parties being regularly re-elected, while working closely and quietly together on a conservative fiscal low tax, pro business, and clean government agenda. Prior to du Pont only four men had served eight years as Governor, and one of those had two nonconsecutive terms. From 1977 until the present there have been four governors, two from each party, each emulating Castle in essentially carrying out the program initiated by Pierre S. du Pont, IV.

[edit] United States Representative

See also: 110th United States Congress for others currently serving in the U.S. Congress

See also: United States order of precedence

With the new consensus style of decision making in Delaware, important decisions are made by a few leaders in both parties. So it was in 1992, when Castle was forced to retire as Governor due to constitutional term limits. The result was what became known as "the Swap." Castle ran for the seat of U.S. Representative Thomas R. Carper and Carper ran for Governor. Delaware’s political leadership had quietly worked out the arrangement and retained the services of two very popular office holders.

Castle was first elected to the U.S. Representatives in 1992, defeating former Lieutenant Governor Shien Biau Woo, and since has won election seven more times in all, also defeating Democrats Carol Ann DeSantis in 1994, Dennis E. Williams in 1996 and 1998, Michael C. Miller in 2000 and 2002, Paul Donnelly in 2004, and Dennis Spivack in 2006.

Castle is president of the Republican Main Street Partnership and is considered one of the most moderate Republicans in the House. In the wake of Tom DeLay's indictment in September 2005, E.J. Dionne named Castle as one of four lawmakers capable of leading an anticorruption reform of the Republican Party. Castle is a member of various moderate/liberal Republican Organizations, such as Republicans For Environmental Protection, The Republican Majority For Choice, Republicans For Choice and Christine Todd Whitman's Its My Party Too. Castle is also the co-chair of several Congressional caucuses, including the Diabetes Caucus, the Community College Caucus, the Biomedical Research Caucus and the Passenger Rail Caucus.

The best example of Castle’s leadership and independence came with his cosponsorship of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. The bill proposed expanding the number of stem cell lines that are eligible for federally funded research, expecting that this funding would generate more research and ultimately greater progress in addressing many kinds of diseases. Presently only those lines derived before August 9, 2001 are eligible for federal funded research. This legislation removes that date restriction, along with proposing stronger ethical requirements. After successfully passing both the Senate and the House, it received U.S. President George W. Bush’s first presidential veto in July 2006. Despite the production of Induced pluripotent stem cell research Castle is still pushing for the funding of Embryonic stem cell research.

Castle suffered two minor strokes during the 2006 campaign, but seemed fully recovered. Considering the general Democratic sweep of other offices, he won the election comfortably, but with a greatly reduced margin over previous years.

Castle serves on the following committees in the 110th U.S. Congress:

• U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor
  • Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, ranking member
• U.S. House Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
  • Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
  • Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology

[edit] Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. Members of the Delaware General Assembly take office the second Tuesday of January. State Senators have a four year term and State Representatives have a two year term. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor take office the third Tuesday of January and have four year terms. U.S. Representatives take office January 3rd, and have a two year term.

[edit] References

• Barone, Michael; Richard E. Cohen (2005). Almanac of American Politics. Washington: National Journal Group. ISBN 0-89234-112-2. 
• Boyer, William W. (2000). Governing Delaware. Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware Press. ISBN 1-892142-23-6. 
• Cohen, Celia (2002). Only in Delaware, Politics and Politicians in the First State. Newark, Delaware: Grapevine Publishing. 
• Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6. 
• Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, DE: Roger A. Martin. 

[edit] Images

• Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress

[edit] External links

[edit] Congressional

• Congressman Mike Castle
• Committee on Education and the Workforce
• U.S. House Committee on Financial Services

[edit] Informational

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia

• Contacting the Congress
• Delaware’s Governors
• National Governors Association
• News Meat
• Political Graveyard
• Stem Cell Bill Gets Bush's First Veto
• The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act

[edit] Campaign

• Main Street Republican Partnership
• Mike Castle for Congress
• Mike Castle for Congress — biography

[edit] Places with more information

• Historical Society of Delaware 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware (302) 655-7161
• University of Delaware Library 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware (302) 831-2965

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