DELAWARE - WBOC has learned that former Delaware Governor and U.S. Representative Michael Castle has passed away.
Castle served in the Delaware House of Representatives from 1966 to 1969 before becoming a state senator. In 1980, he was elected lieutenant governor in 1980, then governor in 1984. He served two terms as Delaware’s governor, winning reelection in 1988.
In 1992, Castle was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Delaware Republican Party confirmed the death to WBOC on Aug. 14.
News of Castle's death on Thursday drew an outpouring of grief and fond memories from Delaware's elected officials on both sides of the aisle.
"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Governor and U.S. Representative Mike Castle,” the Delaware State Senate Republican Caucus said in a statement. “Congressman Castle’s decades of dedicated public service left an enduring mark on our state. From his time in the Delaware General Assembly to serving as Lieutenant Governor, Governor, and Delaware’s lone member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he was a tireless advocate for the people he represented.”
"His leadership, civility, and commitment to Delaware will not be forgotten,” the statement reads. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all who were fortunate to know him."
“Over the arc of the more than 40 years that I knew him – I met him when I was 16 – he repeatedly provided his knowledge and expertise to help me along my own way," a statement by Delaware Senator Chris Coons reads in part. "When he was a congressman and I was county executive, we worked together often, including some important investments into the C&D Canal greenway. When we eventually ran against each other, I did my absolute best to run a respectful, positive, policy-based campaign. 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."
“Mike Castle was a great Delawarean who left a meaningful legacy," State House Republican Leader Tim Dukes said. "Throughout his decades of public service, from the Delaware House of Representatives to the U.S. House of Representatives, he embodied civility, pragmatism, and a willingness to work inclusively in pursuit of the common good.”
“He was a man of decency who understood the importance of respect and collaboration in public service, always working for the common good of our state of neighbors," Delaware Congresswoman Sarah McBride said of the late former Congressman. "Mike helped build the Delaware of today and, in Congress, expanded investment in research, the arts, and small businesses. He worked across the aisle often and courageously."
Current Governor Matt Meyer also responded to Castle's passing.
“Today, Delaware mourns the passing of a remarkable public servant, Mike Castle," Meyer said in a statement. "As governor and our state’s longest-serving U.S. representative, he embodied what it means to lead with principle, decency, and dedication."
“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," Meyer continued. "That moment, among others, demonstrated what a good man he was and how deeply he cared about Delaware’s future."
Former President and United States Senator Joe Biden released a statement Thursday evening.
"There’s one word that comes to mind when I think of Mike Castle: dignity. 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. Mike had a backbone made of steel, and when faced with that existential question politicians sometimes face — what are you willing to lose an election over? — Mike stood on principle. He took votes because he knew they were right, not because they were popular," Biden continued.
"Mike will go down in the history of our state and country as an honorable and effective public servant. A man of his word who time and again put country over self. Someone we could all be proud to have as our Governor and Representative. All of us in Delaware owe Mike a debt of gratitude," Biden said.
"Jill and I and the entire Biden family are deeply saddened by Mike’s passing. Our hearts go out to Jane, the Castle family, and the dozens of women and men who worked alongside Mike to serve the people of our state," Biden's statement concluded.
Former United States Senator Tom Carper looked back on his career alongside Castle fondly, even though the two were part of opposing political parties.
"Mike was a proud Republican," Carper said in a statement. "I am a lifelong Democrat. But that never got in the way of our friendship - or our work on behalf of Delawareans. We were united by our shared love for Delaware, and a determination to leave it better than we found it. His legacy is etched into the fabric of our state - from the schools and institutions he championed, to the civility and collaboration he modeled every day. But above all, he leaves behind an example of a life well-lived in public service and in private kindness."
WBOC previously sat down with Castle as his political career came to a close in 2011.
“During the eight years I was Governor we always balanced the budget, we were able to reduce taxes several times, we created many jobs,” Castle said at the time. “More jobs than at any other time in the history of the state.”
Castle was 86.
