Who will replace Joe Biden in Senate? (problem with his son is he's being deployed to Iraq)

[WI_DEM]

Regarding his Senate seat, which he won the same day he won the vice-presidency, Joe Biden is said to be much more involved. He is hoping to pass the seat to his son, Beau Biden, the Delaware attorney general. The problem with this, according to the Associated Press, is that Beau is scheduled to be deployed to Iraq for the next nine months. As a result, if Papa Biden's dreams are to come true, a seat-warmer will need to be appointed to hold the spot for Beau in 2010, when another election will be held. This means somebody who won't seek reelection. The selection will either be made by outgoing Governor Ruth Ann Minner or Governor-elect Jake Markell. They are both Democrats. Names that have been mentioned so far include:

• Delaware Secretary of State Harriet Smith Windsor.
• Lt. Governor John C. Carney Jr. He's the state party's choice, but is not likely to want to step down when young Beau becomes available — he just lost a close gubernatorial primary, so he's clearly got ambitions.
• Myron Steele, chief justice of the Delaware Supreme Court.


http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/11/okay_okay_so_whos_going_to_rep.html

[NMDemDist2]

1. why can't he deploy anyway?? do we need someone to vote that much?

9 months is no worry, the Senator who had that brain thing was out over a year but held his seat

[WI_DEM]

5. I don't think they can do that.

[LynneSin]

2. I think if Beau runs, even in 2010, it will be too soon

he had a tough race for his AG slot. I think he needs to finish off serving that job and perhaps winning a second term. By then either Tom Carper (senate) or Mike Castle (Reprsentative but we have only one) should be retiring. I know that Joe first ran for senate with little experience and at a young age, but he didn't have his father's reputation to precede him. Joe Biden is popular here in Delaware but voters aren't about to hand over the job to his son simply because he's a Biden. But if Beau serves 2 terms as AG then I think he can win any election in Delaware on his own merits and not his father's.

[SteveG]

9. It will likely be John Carney

Minner isn't likely to name herself - she is just too unpopular, and I seriously doubt that she would be able to win the seat in 2010. Beau Biden, should serve two terms as AG, then succeed Markell as Gov. He would then be in a good position for national office.

I think Carney would be a good pick. He fought a hard campaign against Markell, and lost a close contest very graciously. He worked hard to bring his people to Markell in the General Election and as evidenced by the results, kept defections to Lee to an absolute minimum. I think that if Minner makes Carney the Sen. that it will be a popular choice, and would go a ways to restoring her legacy.

[Mass]

3. Why should his son get the seat? Are we in a monarchy that we need to create dynasties.

I can understand Biden's wish to have his son get the seat, but I am sure there are many capable pols in DE. Same thing goes for the Kennedys and MA.

[Jennicut]

4. I heard Ruth Minner might take the seat.

As far as family members taking over seats after someone dies or vacates, it happens all the time. Sonny Bono's wife took over after he died. I think Beau should be Attorney General after he comes back from Iraq and then run in 2010. He seems popular in Delaware so he should have no problems winning.

[WI_DEM]

6. Minner would be a good choice.

though she shouldn't appoint herself, if she were appointed the person just elected gov should do it. Governors who appoint themselves are usually defeated.

[LynneSin]

7. She won't - she's actually not very popular here in Delaware

which is one of the reasons why Jack Markell defeated Jim Carney in the governor primaries. Many folks felt that Carney would be nothing more than an extension of the Minner governorship. Don't get me wrong, I've voted for Minner, but if she appoints herself she's going to shoot our party here in Delaware in the foot.

Safer that she goes with Carney.

[woodsprite]

8. I'm for Carney.

Even his family is talking about accepting the possibility now. Something that they had pushed aside earlier.