When former President Jimmy Carter said racism was an underlying factor in attacks on President Obama, it's safe to say he had no intention of boosting Allen West's campaign for Congress in Florida's Broward County. But according to West, a retired Army colonel who is running for the second time against Democratic Rep. Ron Klein in Florida's 22nd congressional district, that is exactly what has happened. "Since (Democrats) have thrown out the race card, it has made me more appealing," says West, one of a small but determined group of black Republicans running for seats in the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives in 2010. Eager to overturn the "conventional wisdom" that the GOP is mainly a white bread party that offers few opportunities for minorities, these black Republicans believe they can attract increasingly agitated conservatives, as well as independents, to make 2010 their year. They also conceded in interviews that the injection of race -- a familiar theme since Obama's election last year -- has given them a certain edge and authority when they speak out against the president's agenda. Because they're black, they say, they can lead the charge against Democratic policies without being called "racist." In fact, they say, their skin color may make them more attractive candidates. "A lot of people who don't want to be part of Obama's policies are being called racist," West said. "Then they say, 'Hey, this guy, Colonel West -- he's black and I support him.'" "It's made me more appealing," West told FOXNews.com, "because it shows the contrast of our principles -- how different we are even though we both have permanent tans." Ryan Frazier, a 31-year-old councilman from Colorado, is running for U.S Senate against Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet. He, too, thinks his black skin will make it impossible to label him a racist because he opposes the president. "I don't think they will be able to use that argument against me or engage in those tactics against me -- I certainly don't hate myself," Frazier said. Michael Williams, the four-term Texas railroad commissioner who plans to run for the U.S Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson next year, says being black will help him, too. "One of the things it allows me to do, "it allows me to speak very, very frankly about what I believe, and what I feel, and nobody is going to call me a racist. " Williams said. "They may try and call me a sell-out ... but I've been doing this for 11 years and that certainly doesn't bother me anymore." Williams wrote a strident response to Carter on his Web site last month, saying that "stigmatizing honest opposition as 'racist' appears to be a way of not answering legitimate questions about policy reform. I, for one, oppose the president's health care plan because it will explode the deficit, allow further government intrusion into the doctor-patient relationship, and continue to insulate healthcare consumers from the true cost of their care." John Gizzi, political editor for the conservative Human Events magazine, said emerging "top tier" black Republicans like Williams and West "are the worst nightmare for Democrats," because "they will be the ones who can go toe-to-toe with Barack Obama and the media will pay attention. "The very fact that these candidates, who happen to be African-American, can address the issue (of health care) ... is very, very significant," Gizzi said. "People are going to listen because they will eliminate any racially incendiary issues that have entered into this debate." Blacks and the GOP: A Mixed Bag Black Republicans have been trying for years to break onto the scene with notable, but minimal, success, Gizzi said. There have been four black U.S senators since Reconstruction. The first was Massachusetts Sen. Edward Brooke, a Republican, who served from 1967-1979. The other three were all Illinois Democrats -- Carol Mosely Braun (1993-1999), Obama (2005-2008) and Roland Burris, who replaced Obama last year. In 1990, Gary Franks of Connecticut was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives -- the first black Republican elected to the House since1932. He served three terms before he was defeated in 1996. Since Franks, there has been only one black Republican in the House -- J.C. Watts of Oklahoma, who served from 1995 to 2003. There have been some notable also-rans, most recently former NFL star Lynn Swann, who ran and lost against Democrat Ed Rendell for governor of Pennsylvania in 2006. At the same time, Republican Secretary of State Ken Blackwell ran and lost a bid for governor in Ohio. After losing his bid for U.S. Senate in 2006, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele became the second black official to head a major political party when he was elected Republican National Committee chairman 10 months ago. The other black party chairman was Ron Brown, who headed the Democratic National Committee from 1989 to 1993. The GOP still calls itself the "Party of Lincoln" because of its historical ties to the abolition of American slavery, and blacks remained loyal to the party after Reconstruction as Southern Democrats established segregationist Jim Crow laws. But the scene began to shift during the Depression, as blacks voted in large numbers for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his New Deal policies. The Democrats cemented their lock on black voters in the 1960s when President Lyndon Johnson pushed his Great Society programs and, more importantly, the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 through Congress. Four years later, in 1968, Richard Nixon wooed disenchanted Southern Democrats to win the presidency, setting the GOP on its current course, demographically, with voters of color. "[Blacks] are the most reliable, monolithic voting component in the Democratic Party," Gizzi said. It means candidates like Williams and West are rare, but it also gives them an appeal: they are running against stereotypes, with conservative ideas they insist should appeal to people of all colors. They believe blind faith in government has hurt the black community, and want to make that case plainly. "Our time will come," Williams said. "And when it does, the floodgates will open." Frazier said he believes the current political climate favors a push toward diversification in the GOP. "I think it's reasonable to say the landscape is unfolding in such a way in which Republicans in general have an opportunity to gain the confidence of the people, and a big part of that is going to require the Republican Party to put forth new voices and different people," Frazier told FOXNews.com. "In order for Republicans ... to grow its ranks, it must reflect America." "Race has nothing to do with it." But at least one black Republican says race has everything to do with it, and he complains that the current crop of candidates are running "color blind" – essentially ignoring their roots and writing off the black vote. "They are a total embarrassment," political consultant Raynard Jackson, a black Republican. Jackson said there have been incidents in which the rhetoric among some Republican activists has gone too far, and that black Republicans would have been better served to say so. "They seem more intent about being accepted into the party than calling a spade a spade," he told FOXNews.com. He said black candidates do not put other blacks in positions of authority in their campaigns, nor do they spend time cultivating special relationships within the black community that might earn them fundraising dollars and valuable support down the road. More importantly, he said, they do not craft their campaign rhetoric or platforms to reach out to black voters, and in their zeal to be "color blind," they likely miss out on some real opportunities to change minds and win votes in a "lost" community. "They are missing out on a golden opportunity, he said. "Messaging. That's marketing 101. If you don't recognize the color ... you will not be able to formulate a message to reach out to the different demographics." But the candidates themselves disagree that they should make a central theme of their campaigns. They think their success relies on broad conservative appeal, not color appeal. "Our folks are saying they want a reliable conservative -- that happens to be what's catching on with me," Williams told FOXNews.com. "It just happens to be an added plus, me being an African-American." West, who captured 45 percent of the vote in his Florida swing district in 2008, says his positions on the economy and national security are resonating with his constituents. "It has nothing to do with race," he said. "People don't care about your color, they care about your character." Retired Army Col. Louis Huddleston, who is running for Congress against incumbent Rep. Larry Kissell, D-N.C., is blunt when talking about race. "My bona fides and my credibility ... have nothing to do with my race," he said. "It may be good for copy or for media sensationalism. But my success will not be based on race. "I don't function from that paradigm," he said. "Race is a benign characteristic. It is who you are and what motivates you that matters." Frazier said he's not living in a bubble -- "I go anywhere, the NAACP as well as the tea parties." He is also sure that Carter's comments "did nothing to further race relations in this country." "Does racism exist in this country? Sure. But I think the overwhelming majority of Americans who care about this country do not care about skin color," Frazier said. "My candidacy is based on solutions and beliefs I hold near and dear. It's not going to be about race, and when I oppose Obama, it is going to be purely because I believe his administration is headed the wrong way."
What part of S&M those brothers are getting into? They must love a lot of pain and mistreatment to hang with WM who diss the President like it was no tomorrow. They have not gotten a brother elected in Congress since J.C.Watts left and still they did not hook him up. Dream The Impossible Dream,it will be always be a nightmare.
The above mention black Republicans were election in majority white districts by moderate and conservative years ago. Would they still be elected by the republican party in the age of Obama? As for the 2 black gentlemen from Colorado and Texas looking to be elected as senators and then move on to run for President (like Obama) good luck. You cannot repeat what Obama did in 2008 . . . you must like black people first. I am still waiting for those same black republicans to go to black town halls and communities and look for their votes. They would be run out of town. Still waiting for Michael Steele to bring in black folks in mass to the GOP . . . waiting, waiting, and waiting.
That big tent Lee Atwater mentioned is long gone. Watts and Franks were not hooked up plus, Steele is shucking and jiving all over the place. Back in the day it was the Rockefeller Republicans-the liberals the current GOP does not like were the ones who made the party more welcome. The recruitment of Blacks into higher office is at a dead end.
well I guess one black guy I was toghter with, that he was a republican. But I think that actually he wanted to be white. He was not a white acting black, he was a wanabe white. It was even so bad, that he cannot be with a bw because bw are not on the top. So it has to be a wm. The problem he was facing, that a wm dating bm(not matter how white this guy wants to be) is still a wm dating a bm and those woman are not good for him.... what so ever.... it took me half year to relaize what that was all about..... I just don´t see how a blacks can be republican..... then just having a problem with his own color. But I also have to say that this is my european view, and if u can tell me how blacks can be republicans with being in tune with thier own being please tell me.
Nouharel, I am a Republican and a founding member of a Republican PAC, so let me assure you that it is possible to be both proud of your heritage as a Black person and be Republican. From a historical perspective, the Republican party was the one that pushed hard to free the slaves here in the U.S., however the philosophies of both parties have switched a lot since then. The central tenants of being conservative are basically, fiscal responsibility, pro-business by tax breaks, small government spending, and traditional family values. Now we can all agree that the last 8 years under Bush saw a radical departure from many of these tenants. That being said, none of these tenants are specific to only one color of people. Republicans get a very bad rap (deservedly in many cases) by minorities because many latent and blatant racists choose to join the Republican party (Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, ect.) over the Democrats. The reason I and others are Republicans is that we believe that the overwhelming number of minorities in the Democratic party leaves our interests unrepresented in the Republican party. If we are not present how will they ever change? Change to being a true big tent philosophy must come from within as well as pressure from outside the Republican party, those like myself are on the front lines of that change. It also means that minorities have little to no voice during the years when Republicans are in control of the white house, supreme court, senate and house of representatives, that is unacceptable. Now please don't think that we are blind to the resistance and outright hatred that we sometimes run into as minority Republicans. We are well aware that we are not wanted by some in the party who wish it was still the 1940's. We also believe that government social programs designed to aid minorities and help level the playing field, can sometimes have unwanted affects. We believe that the best and fastest way to impact the fiscal, and educational health of all people, not just minorities, is not more huge government spending, but more free market opportunities created by the private sector. Now of course there needs to be a balance between government sponsored programs/oversight and the free market. Bottom line for me, is that I feel strongly that "I" need to be the one determining how to spend my money when it comes to social and political causes, not the government. Lastly, even though I am a conservative, I voted for Obama in the last election, because I felt he was the better prepared and qualified candidate. Now we just have to ALL hold him to his pledge to cut our deficit in half by the end of his first term. Hope this helps.
Loki, if you and Michael Steele want to attract blacks to the republican party you have to change the party from within first . . . good luck. Personally, I believe that the black republicans who are in the party really don't want to recruit more blacks but would like to SAY they want more blacks in the party. Until the blacks in the GOP are felt welcome and respected in the party and not look at as "Sell Outs" or "Uncle Toms" maybe then you will get new African-Americans who are proud to say they are . . . Republicans.
Quote: Loki, as a founding member of a GOP PAC what are you doing to actively recruit African-Americans to the Republican party? We sponsor and support numerous outreach programs; public forums on various issues, speaking to various youth political groups. Actively work with sitting politicians on minority issues so that the people benefiting see actual deeds to back up the words, for example one of our biggest successes to date was to work with the Urban League and private enterprise to build very nice housing targeting lower income or blue collar workers, included in the price of the house were tuition credits for the purchaser at a local community college to further their education, very cool project. Quote: I agree with the above statement when the Republicans use either blacks, muslims or latinos as scapegoat each election cycle to scare white folks to vote against their best interest. Yes it is true, this tactic is still used far too often. People really need to realize that no one group of people is all the same, interesting article... http://blog.washingtonpost.com/redamerica/2006/03/the_plight_of_the_minority_rep.html In my experience the overwhelming majority of minority republicans would LOVE to have, and are actively recruiting more minority members to the GOP. I will say in the last 5 to 10 years I have seen a consistent change from GOP members to being A LOT more welcoming of minorities, now you could argue that they are just finally realizing that the changing voting demographics are demanding inclusion, or that this is signaling a true change in the thinking of many. Regardless, I and others like me feel that it is very important to work for change from within the GOP and to have minority interests represented and discussed, no matter which party is currently in power in Washington and locally.
Now I am not a Republican, but there are some Republican talking points that I can agree with and maybe I am conservative on one or two issues. Overall I guess I would consider myself a Moderate Democrat although I can lean Independent at times. Now that we are on the subject I have a question, I hear all these labels being thrown around examples the Progressives, the Far-left, the left, Liberal Democrat, Democrat, Moderate Democrat, Conservative Democrat ( these I believe are the Blue Dog Democrats) Centrist, Republican, Moderate Republican, Conservative, the Right, and the Far-Right did I miss any? Oh Independent, Now I know some of these on either side of the spectrum probably mean the same thing, in your opinion where does (at least most) African Americans fit into the picture? I think it's fairly obvious I just want to know what someone else thinks.
Steele has already said publicly that moderates need not apply if they expect to "change" anything.. he let himself get punked by Rush Limbaugh, and had to deal with an internal movement to wrest his oversight on the finances of the RNC.. how many black people/folks of color even attend these "tea party" related protests and such with the obama/witchdoctor posters, the birther-obsessionists, the closet-commie/muslim obsessionists, folks who are proud to say that they "never" visit "the city" (i.e., urban america), and such.. what black person would even feel remotely comfortable in that crowd?
I am certainly not going to defend certain elements of the tea-baggers. Let's do keep in mind that such Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, ect. brainwashed idiots do not represent all conservatives. Hell even the tea-baggers that disown such sign carrying morons, can't clearly articulate the issues they are protesting and forget them being actually informed. The whole tea party ruse was a pathetic attempt to point fingers, not offer solutions, once again not representative of all republicans.
Just curious Loki. You think beck and Hannity are idiots. You voted for Obama. How are you a Republican? What is the name of your PAC? Just asking.
Beck, Hannity, ect. are NOT the only face/voice of the republican party, just usually the most visable. In my opinion, if you listen to what Beck, Hannity, et al actually say, the only conclusion that an intelligent, fair-minded person can come to is that they are simply "entertainers" catering to an audience with a very narrow and limited mindset. Which is why I always check what any politician/talking head says on an issue at politifact.com or factcheck.org, check Beck and Hannity's track records at those two sites, (http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/personalities/glenn-beck/ http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/personalities/sean-hannity/) those guys are the kings of specious comments. I feel the same way about some left wing talking heads as well (Garofalo comes to mind). I voted for Obama because I have personal experience/interaction with Senator McCain that was very unpleasant and as a result I seriously think that he has anger issues. Not the guy you want to have access to "the button". While I respect his military/political service over the years, I could not vote for the man. Actually, I was hoping Mitt Romney was going to win the nomination, I liked a lot of what he had to say. I am republican because I believe in the following, http://www.gop.com/index.php/learn/what_we_believe/ and what I have already stated in above posts. I serve on the Arizona Republican Professionals Committee.
Beck exposed Van Jones a man that calls himself a communist. Kevin Jennings want teach about gay people to school kids. ("The Queering of education") Hannity exposed that. They are only ones telling the truth. This is not the true Democrat party.
