The 'Steele' factor...

[nickshepDEM]

If Steele launches a widely anticipated bid for U.S. Senate in coming weeks, his candidacy will test one of the most deeply rooted certainties in Maryland politics: that no matter the contest, the vast majority of African American voters will cast their ballots for the Democrat.

Steele, 44, a Prince George’s County lawyer who became the first African American elected statewide in Maryland, said in an interview that he intends to court the black vote aggressively, part of a concerted push by the GOP nationally to bridge a chasm that opened 50 years ago during the modern civil rights era. Already, the Republican National Committee has pledged significant campaign support and money to a Steele campaign.

Republicans say his historic status and his use of state office to open a dialogue with minority business executives and church leaders could help draw votes from what is arguably the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituency. Another factor is the bitterness that many black leaders have felt since 2002, when Democrats passed up a chance to put a black candidate on the statewide ticket and left it to Republican Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. to end the tradition of all-white slates.
.....

“I think they still feel that . . . most of us have no place to go,” said Del. Obie Patterson (Prince George’s) of his fellow Democrats. “But I would caution them. If Democrats don’t take significant steps to combat those perceptions, many African American voters may stay home, and a significant number may vote for the other side.”

That move alone might not overcome concerns that Democrats are taking black voters for granted. Patterson is one of many who argue that his party needs to embrace black candidates for other statewide offices as well. He also is among those disheartened to see some leaders rally around the Senate candidacy of Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin of Baltimore, who is white, instead of Kweisi Mfume, the former congressman and NAACP leader from Baltimore, who is black. “It gave African Americans the sense, here we go again, the same old tired leadership dictating who would be next in line,” Patterson said

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/12/AR2005101202261.html

[safi0]

1. This could be a problem

If you look at the exit polls from 2004 in Maryland, the minority population, especially African-Americans, are pretty much what gave Kerry the victory. Among whites Bush led 55-44, but Kerry got 87% of the African-American vote which have him a comftorable win.

[AnnieBW]

2. If Any AA Person

in the U.S. votes for a Repuke of any color after what happened in NOLA, they should be ashamed of themselves!

[DaveinMD]

3. African Americans won't vote for Steele

history shows that African Americans don't vote for Republicans just because they are black. Steele is way out of Maryland's mainstream. And there will be an african american on the statewide ticket.