Beau Biden ‘was the whole package,’ Del. governor says

Delaware Gov Jack Markell (D) is praising the legacy of former state Attorney General Beau Biden (D), hours after his death.

“He was well respected in every part of the state,” Markell said in an interview Sunday morning on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He was a kind person, he was good-hearted — he was the whole package.”

{mosads}Biden — the 46-year-old son of Vice President Joe Biden — passed away on Saturday after a struggle with brain cancer. 

The death sent shockwaves through the Obama administration as well as throughout Delaware politics, where Biden was enormously popular. He was elected to attorney general in 2006 and reelected in 2010, but declined to run for a third term last year.

“Everybody in Delaware was close to the Biden family and Beau is an extraordinary human being,” Markell said. “He was the most popular politician in this state.”

Biden had long been considered destined for higher office. He had indicated a desire to seek the governor’s office in 2016, and was considered a heavy favorite for the post.

On Sunday morning, Markell said that he had last spoken to Biden in February, when he invited him to a meeting of governors in Washington.

“We all expected Beau was going to run for governor next year,” Markell said. “Had he run he would’ve won, and he would’ve served very capably.”