Posted on 05/16/2005 12:11:55 PM PDT by RWR8189
Opportunity.
That was the key word in remarks by Ken Mehlman, chairman of the Republican National Committee, who was in Harrisburg yesterday.
He appeared at a fund-raising rally for City Councilman Otto Banks, who is seeking re-election. A longtime Democrat, Banks recently switched to the GOP.
Mehlman said his visit here was part of an ongoing effort to support minority candidates across the country, and to recruit minorities into the Republican party.
Those objectives can be accomplished through "education reform, [supporting] small-businesses, home-ownership initiatives," Mehlman said. He said the Republican agenda is "designed to help working Americans."
Mehlman said the Republican party "is the party that offers people the opportunity for the American dream."
About 25 civic, religious and political leaders turned out to hear Mehlman at the Market Square offices of The Bravo Group, a public relations and lobbying firm, including State Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, R-Dauphin, a member of Banks' re-election committee.
Mehlman said home-ownership initiatives and support for small businesses are critical steps to help people see that they have opportunities to realize their own dreams.
"We need to make sure we close the gap between minorities and non-minorities in home-ownership, [through] mortgage protection, mortgage insurance and financial literacy," he said.
Mehlman praised Banks as "unbelievably talented, a good man, progressive, compassionate, able to bring people together."
Banks announced in March that he was switching parties to run for re-election as a Republican.
"The Republican party has a direct relationship with people of color," said Banks, who is black. "The Democrats have lost their relationships with the minority community. People of color no longer need handouts [but] hand-ups" like better jobs and small-business opportunities.
As the only Republican candidate on the ballot, Banks, 34, is virtually assured of one of the four GOP nominations for seats on the seven-member council.
bump
GREAT NEWS!!!!!
Banks is only 34 years old, and as a black Republican councilman from heavily Democrat Harrisburg he would make a good candidate for a future (maybe 2006 or 2008) run against moderate-to-conservative Democrat Congressman Tim Holden in a district that gave Bush 58% in 2004. Of course, I'm assuming that Banks is pro-life and pro-gun, or else he would be unable to win conservative votes from the pro-life and pro-gun Holden.
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