Mike Castle, longtime Delaware congressman and governor, dies

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Mike Castle, a towering figure in Delaware politics and one of the most consistent vote-getters in state history, died Thursday at the age of 86.

Castle’s political career spanned more than four decades, first being elected to the General Assembly in 1966. Along the way, he spent two terms as Delaware’s governor from 1985 to 1992. Castle was then elected to nine consecutive terms as the First State’s lone representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, the longest-serving member of the U.S. House in state history.

“There’s one word that comes to mind when I think of Mike Castle: dignity,” said former President Joe Biden, in a statement on social media. “Riding the train back and forth together to Washington for nearly two decades, I got to know Mike as a thoughtful and kind man — a colleague who became a true friend.”

“Mike was defined by his integrity, and for that reason, you couldn’t find another member of Congress who would say a bad word about him. He was respected in Washington, and beloved by his constituents,” Biden said.

“He embodied what it means to lead with principle, decency and dedication,” Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer said. “During his time as governor, Mike Castle visited every single school in our state, including mine, where he spoke to my high school class with the same warmth, humility and commitment to public service that defined his career. That moment, among others, demonstrated what a good man he was and how deeply he cared about Delaware’s future.”

“He was kind, genuine, civically minded, responsible – an old-fashioned Republican,” Delaware U.S. Sen. Chris Coons said in a statement. Coons also met Castle as a high school student. “He repeatedly provided his knowledge and expertise to help me along my own way.”

When Joe Biden was elected vice president, Coons and Castle were both expected to meet in a special election for Biden’s old seat in the U.S. Senate. Castle was the likely favorite in the general election, but he was stunningly defeated in the Republican primary by political newcomer Christine O’Donnell. Coons easily won the seat in the November election.

“As we campaigned against each other, I only liked him more. There was an editorial written about how civilized we were. I am prouder of that column than almost anything,” Coons said. “I was able to enjoy visiting with him and getting advice from him several times in my first few years in the Senate.”

“As one of his hundreds of thousands of constituents, I always admired how gracefully he led,” U.S. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester said. “From his focus on educating our children and maintaining fiscal responsibility to his commitment to protecting our environment, his presence throughout our state will be missed.”

She fondly remembered Castle’s relationship with her late father, former Wilmington City Council President Ted Blunt.

“Not only did they share a love of public service, but they also shared a love of basketball. They joked about playing basketball on the same team and against each other on several occasions over the years,” Blunt Rochester said. “His steady hand and attunement to the needs of his constituents made him unique — a quality that will be missed in politically challenging times such as these. His legacy will surely live on.”

Over nearly two decades in Congress, Castle had a hand in many legislative efforts, including authoring the bill that created the state quarters program. The idea of printing quarters with images of various states on the back sides was a big hit with collectors and was a financial windfall for the U.S. Treasury, raking in billions of dollars.

Castle also chaired the House Subcommittee on Education Reform, where he played a major role in crafting the legislation behind President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind initiative.

As a Republican in a state with a steady increase of Democrats on the voter rolls, Castle took a moderate stance on a number of issues and drew national attention when he defended President Barack Obama during a town hall meeting in 2009. “If you’re referring to the president, then he is a citizen of the United States,” he said.

Members of Delaware’s state Senate Republican Caucus issued a joint statement Thursday calling Castle a “tireless advocate for the people he represented.”

“His leadership, civility, and commitment to Delaware will not be forgotten,” their statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all who were fortunate to know him.”

Castle was honored in 2013 with a nearly 9-mile trail along the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal named in his honor. The Michael N. Castle Trail is now visited by hundreds of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts every year.

“He will be missed, but we’ll be reminded of him whenever we see an America the Beautiful quarter or walk the Michael N. Castle Trail along the C & D Canal,” said State House Republican Leader Jeff Spiegelman in a statement.

Castle also served on the WHYY Board of Directors from 2012 to 2022.

“Governor Mike Castle served with distinction on WHYY’s board,” WHYY Board Chair John Salveson said. “He was a good and consistent contributor who brought a large and deep body of civic and community experience to help frame WHYY’s successful business strategy. We were very lucky to call him a colleague and counselor.”