GOP wants urban voters

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | 08/05/05 | David M. Brown

[smoothsailing]

GOP wants urban voters

By David M. Brown

TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Friday, August 5, 2005

Republican leaders on Thursday used Pittsburgh -- a city controlled by Democratic elected officials for seven decades -- as an example of where the GOP hopes to expand its membership with minorities and inner-city voters who traditionally align more with Democrats.

"We believe there are many people that populate these urban cities that are Republican-leaning," said Republican National Committee Co-Chairwoman Jo Ann Davidson. "We're not giving up on the urban centers." Davidson, a former Speaker of the House in the Ohio Legislature, said Pittsburgh also was chosen as the site for the RNC's annual summer meeting, which started yesterday, to underscore the importance of Pennsylvania in national politics and show support for U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum's re-election bid next year.

Santorum, the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, is facing a serious challenge in 2006 from state Treasurer Bob Casey Jr., who is a heavy favorite to win the Democratic nomination.

"I think it will be what most people are considering the premium Senate race in the country," Davidson said. Santorum, a two-term senator from Penn Hills, gets the spotlight today when he and Davidson speak during a luncheon at the Omni William Penn Hotel, Downtown, where the three-day conference is taking place. RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman is scheduled to speak at a general session this morning.

The theme of the conference is "Give Us A Chance, We'll Give You A Choice: Strengthening Lincoln's Legacy."

Mehlman, who became chairman in January after managing President George Bush's re-election campaign last year, has made several speeches articulating the GOP's "outreach" objective to broaden the party's base. "Everybody is excited about it," said Eileen Melvin, of Somerset, the Pennsylvania Republican chairwoman. "Ken Mehlman is providing fabulous leadership...

[rdb3]

If I'm not mistaken the base are white southern conservatives.

Hmmm... Well, I'm a midwestern blueblood living in Texas who isn't white but is a Republican. That puts me out of the base?

[dfwgator]

Not all blacks are "urban." Many more are joining the middle and upper class, that's who the GOP needs to target.

[mhking]

Before it's all over the GOP will in fact be wanting the "conservative" vote.

Are you trying to say that "conservative" and "black" are mutually exclusive? That's news to me...

[cyborg]

I agree with you. There are many in the suburbs that I used to talk to at my old job. It's amazing how many rethink voting democrat when you bring up abortion, gay agenda affecting marriage,etc.

[mhking]

Well, I'm a midwestern blueblood living in Texas who isn't white but is a Republican. That puts me out of the base?

I'm the same, but in Georgia. I guess I'm not part of the base either.

I'm so glad these folks showed up to put us right, and show us that we are just interlopers as opposed to conservatives. Now we can stop telling other like-minded black folks that there's a home for them in the GOP.

[mhking]

Not all blacks are "urban."

No, but many are; plus there are lots of folks who use the term "urban" as some sort of code to pigeon-hole blacks as a whole...

[trubluolyguy]

So long as the party doesn't compromise it's principles to get liberal voters, I have no problem.

[cyborg]

Liberals don't think you're part of the base. Some conservatives apparently don't either.

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

GOP wants urban voters

Considering how liberal the GOP is in social spending while cutting back on national defense (cut procurement), I would say the GOP has an EXCELLENT chance of grabbing all the urban voters they want . . .

and the wackos

and the gays

and the peaceniks

and the panhandlers

and the Marxist school teachers

and even some self-proclaimed communist university professors

and the illegal aliens . . .

[rdb3]

Not all blacks are "urban." Many more are joining the middle and upper class, that's who the GOP needs to target.

Well, I'm upper middle-class (if class definitions are needed) and strictly urban. I will never, ever live in the country. Nothing wrong with that, but that is not me. But lo and behold! I'm in the GOP. Guess I'm just strange.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

[dfwgator]

I never liked the term "urban" anyway, what does that mean? I would associated more with an attitude than with any particular race. I'm an 'attitudist', not a racist. It's all about the content of character. The so-called "urban" attitude, is present in many whites as well.

[trubluolyguy]

White southerners?

Not this guy.

Northerner and conservative thank you.

[rdb3]

If they try to gain urban voters, they will end up losing more voters than they would gain.

What's that, political "white flight?"

[mhking]

Some conservatives apparently don't either.

Just damn.

[cyborg]

Yep!

[Tribune7]

If Blacks dump the Dems in Pa., that Party is over.

[mhking]

If they try to gain urban voters, they will end up losing more voters than they would gain. Urban voters will never be GOP, they have entirely different preferences than from what the GOP stands for, forget them.

How do you define "urban" in this context?

[cyborg]

I just googled republican base and pulled up a lot of references to the South. I remember some people saying that the pubbies should not have had the convention in NYC. Why not? There are some conservatives in the North :-)

[rdb3]

Some conservatives apparently don't either.

Just damn.

Mike... Why sound shocked?