Democratic Nightmare - Strong Black Republican Candidates

They're all popular, conservative, Republican and black. And just thinking of their candidacies must give Democrats the shivers, cause them to get little if any sleep at night and make them angry that these blacks had the nerve to leave the plantation without permission. Of course, I'm talking about the candidacy of former Detroit City Councilman Keith Butler who is in the running for the U.S. Senate seat from the state of Michigan. Current Ohio Secretary of State and former Mayor of Cincinatti Kenneth Blackwell is running for the Gubenatorial seat in Ohio. Michael Steele is currently Mariyland's Lieutenant Governor and he's seeking the U.S. Senate seat from the state of the Terrapins. And finally former Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver and long time sports reporter for ABC television, Lynn Swann is trying to take Ed Rendell's job as the Governor of Pennsylvania. These four black Republican candidates are threatening to put a dent in the Democrats long hold on the black vote and more importantly they're shining light on the way the Dems have taken that voting block for granted.

Butler is challenging Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow who is about as liberal as you can get. She's right in behind Democratic Senate leader Harry Reid as was seen with her vote against superbly qualified Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. Butler, the former Detroit City Councilman has proven he can win votes in the heavily Democratic County of Wayne, which is where the city of Detroit is located. The candidate is the Pastor of a 21,000 member church in the Motor City and he unlike Senator Stabenow wants to get Michigan's taxes off the backs of families who live in the state. In addtion he wants to make Michigan a welcome home for companies which want to come into the state to do business, by lowering the forementioned overwhelming tax burden. As you would expect he is both pro-family and pro-life, and is in favor of having a strong military and he is willing to make sure the President has every thing he needs at his disposal in the war against terrorism. Mr Butler sees himself as a Reagonite Republican and was inspired by former President Ronald Reagan to get more involved in the political process.

The key in the race will be Butler's ability to first of all win a hotly contested primary in which his strongest competition will come from Oakland County Sheriff and former State Senate leader Mike Bouchard. The former Councilman's must find a way to win votes in the middle of state and in the Upper Peninsula. He's got tremendous support from the Republican leadership in the state even though it seems the National Republican Party recruited Bouchard because they don't know if he's capable of doing well throughout the state. Butler has been campaigning hard and thinks he'll do fine upstate.

Kenneth Blackwell will be trying to bring businesses and jobs back to Ohio. He wants to stop the out of control government spending which has shackled the state's economy. Secretary of State Blackwell wants to force the schools to spend at least 65% money of their funds in the classrooms, so the state can improve its poor educational test performances. Like Butler, Blackwell is pro life and a true conservative both socially and fiscallly. He'll be competing with the state's Attorney General Jim Petrow who is masquerading as a true conservative.

Blackwell will have to battle through the corruption charges which are sure to come his way after the scandals which have rocked the Republican Party in the state. Thankfully the Secretary kept himself clear of it all and now he will try bring some true leadership to a state which has been suffering from a plodding economy. One thing's for sure this guy is a conservative in word and deed.

Michael Steele hopes to cut the taxes in Maryland so the state can attract businesses and not run businesses away. He wants to improve the school systems and see that the state performs among the best scholastically in the country. Steele is also a conservative who believes in being tough on crime and aggressively attacking the gangs which run drug and car theft rings throughout the state. One of his missions is to help to better fund Faith-Based communities so they can attack the numerous problems which are entrenched in the state's cities.

Steele has proven to be a bridge builder and he will take advantage of his strong standing in the various communities represented throughout the state. Despite having oreo cookies thrown at him, he has surged ahead in the polling and needs to continue to pursuade more and more Democrats to go across party lines and support him. At the moment it looks like he's going to be tough to beat.

Finally you have Lynn Swann another conservative Republican who like the others believes that taxes restrict business growth and impedes the economy. Swann wants Pennsylvania to attract technology based businesses to the state as means to bringing the jobs to spurn the state's economy. He is pro-life and eager to improve the struggling education system in the state. The former football star will have a tough battle against former Philadelphia Mayor and current Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell.

Swann's job will not be easy against a seasoned and very popular incumbant governor. His biggest hurdle will be battling charges that he's raw and unschooled in the politcal game and that he has no business running the state as a novice. He will have to rely on his charisma and message of lower taxes and a resurgent economy.

All these candidates are formidable and I think the fact that they're all black, conservative and Republican says something about both the Republican and Democratic Parties and the fact that there are millions of blacks tired of seeing the lack of leadership in black America. These four men represent a growing trend of blacks who are tired of sitting on the back of the Democratic bus and have finally decided to remain seated when the Democrats request us to stand. It is much like a repeat of the Reconstruction Period following the Civil War. You've got Black Republicans ripping off the Democratic political chains and seeking run for office and represent all of the people of their respective states.

His biggest hurdle will be battling:

In Philadelphia it will be the Inquirer, Daily News, Mayor Street, Chaka Fatah et al. It's going to be rough for him here.

BTW thanks for posting this. G Cobb is one of the best in the city here. I wish he was on WIP more and will miss him after the Eagles games on channel 3.

The 105% turnouts in a lot of Philly precincts is tough to beat also.

in md the ehrlich/steele campaign was a pleasant surprise. they didn't do (exclusively) the "upscale" plate dinner fundraisers. they had a few "lowly" crabs and beer events where they actually talked to their future constituents. refreshing...

I know it's not the same thing, but Bill Lucas was a proven vote-getter in Wayne County as well.

2006: The year of the Angry Black Man!

Fast Eddie is imploding. The only thing tough about this campaign will be the rubbery chicken ala king at the campaign dinners.

Four black Republican candidates isn't the nightmare of Democrats.

Four hundred black Republican candidates is the nightmare of Democrats.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.