TEA Party conservatives and Senate Republican's -- there is a big difference between the two.

Castle refuses to rule out write-in Senate bid Delaware Rep. Mike Castle told reporters Wednesday evening just off the House floor that he hasn't ruled out a write-in GOP Senate bid - though he said such an effort remained unlikely. "I don't want to necessarily interfere with Republican chances," said Castle, although he added, "I've had a lot of people approach me about it.". . . .

Editor's notes: Senate GOP leadership needs to make it clear that write-in victors, should there be any, in contests already decided by the GOP primary process, will have no place in the GOP caucus. We don't care if the write-in candidate "won fair and square." The fact of the matter is quite the opposite. "Fair and square" took place in the GOP primary. It appears that with the Senate Republican caucus, it is business as usual. Example: Lisa Murkowski (S-Alaska) lost in her primary bid versus attorney Joe Miller. Since losing, she has mounted a write-in campaign in defiance of Party wishes. Yesterday, it was revealed in a CNN story that Republican leadership will allow her to continue as a senior member of the Senate's energy commission, a decision revealing an undeniable level compromise within the GOP.

In the matter of a Castle write-in effort, if Mike Castle were to run and win on a write-in ballot, we have no doubt that he would be received into the Senate's GOP caucus, that decision defended with the words "fair and square" being used somewhere in a face saving Republican announcement.

Understand that the same people who accepted Michael Bloomberg into the Republican Party and helped to select John McCain as the '08 GOP presidential candidate remain in charge of the Senate's version of the GOP. NOTHING has changed in the Senate in terms of the conservative make-up of its Republican membership. This might change somewhat after the midterm elections.

Midknight Review is as critical of Senate Republicans as it is of the Democrat Party. We are not impressed. The recent John McCain "turn to the right" cannot be taken seriously until he repents of his willingness to support "cap and trade" legislation, his willingness to partner with Al Gore on environmental issues, and his conviction that Senate Republicans must compromise with Senate Democrats on issues that grow government and take power from the people.

Mike Castle is a fully compromised Republican and would work with the Democrats on a significant portion of their socialist agenda. This is unacceptable.

There is hope, however. Senator Jim DeMint (S Carolina) may be in a position to play a more influential role after the midterms. Understand that in the Senate, a coalition of four or five individuals is huge. DeMint may inherit such a coalition following the November elections.