This may not be the most strategic spending on behalf of the Tea Party Express. Delaware ain’t Alaska or Utah or Nevada. Alaska and Utah are about as Republican as you get, and Nevada isn’t too far behind. The last time Delaware voted for a Republican presidential contender was 1988. Delaware is a territory where centrism is a key political qualifier for Republican aspirants to statewide office.
And Mike Castle has a record of proven success in Delaware. He’s been winning statewide elections since the 1980s, and has served since 1993 as the state’s only member in the House. Though his record might not be what some of the most conservative Republicans in the country dream about, Castle has proven a fairly loyal Republican and has stood with the party on many (not all) big issues.