Long believed one of the GOP's best hopes to take a Democratic Senate seat, Maryland Republican Lt. Gov. Michael Steele is gaining momentum. Even those who dismissed his chances a month or so ago are coming around.
NRO's Jim Geraghty thinks Steele can win, quoting Bob Novak, the conservative equivalent of Eeyore, the dismal donkey from Winnie the Pooh.
Real Clear Politics' Jay Bryant agrees because of the recent mass endorsement of Steele by black Democrats, particularly from Prince George County (the DC beltway area, often ignored by Baltimore party bosses). He quotes University of Maryland political scientist Ron Walters on those endorsements:
"going to go through the black community like a rocket. It's going to be the talk of the county, the state, maybe even the nation."
It's all at the preceding link.
Also, RedState's mattclimbs expands on the theory.
If black Marylanders can be induced to at least consider Steele after Democratic nominee Rep. Ben Cardin ditched the NAACP debate he had agreed to attend, he stands a legitimate chance of winning the 25-30% of the black vote he needs to win.
More and more people are beginning to believe he can do it.
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2006 Senate Race, Commentary, Maryland
Tags: endorsement, Maryland, Senate, Steele
Comments (2)
Picture it...black leaders ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Falze | November 2, 2006 12:16 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Picture it...black leaders throw their support behind Steele because he actually wants their support instead of assuming he has it. Steele wins. These local black leaders look at each other and realize they have power again. The Democrats have been assuming (rightly, unfortunately) that they can count on blacks to blindly punch D at the poll. Suddenly a few of them get their backs ups and say 'that ain't right' and pump up Steele, who wins. Steele turns around and thanks them and promises to work with them and suddenly that power is unveiled right before their eyes...because they decided they didn't want to support a party that gave them nothing in return but promises and excuses, and they supported the Republican. It could spread...it really could. The Democrats want the black vote for the votes...the Republicans want the black vote because they want the black voter to succeed and grasp the American dream...and for the votes. Yeah, I'd like to see Steele win because he's a good candidate and a nice addition to the Republican tent, but even more I'd like to see Steele win so these people that have decided to support him can begin to embrace what should be a stronger role in the governance and politics of this country beyond as a bloc voting group. It'd be a beautiful thing.
1. Posted by Falze | November 2, 2006 12:16 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 2, 2006 12:16
2. Posted by Jim Addison | November 2, 2006 1:22 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Good comment.
There was a time when Republicans competed well for the black vote, even after the "FDR Coalition" was formed. For instance, Richard Nixon received nearly 39% of the black vote in 1960 - BUT the highest any GOP nominee has won since was the 13.3% G.H.W. Bush took in 1988.
The GOP has spent forty years in the wilderness after Goldwater opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Oddly enough, when they do those issues surveys, black Americans come out more conservative than whites on many issues, including abortion, defense and security, taxes, school prayer, regular church attendance, and capital punishment. The Republican position on all these is far closer to the average black citizen's than the Democrats'.
A Steele victory would be a major break in the wall the Democrats have successfully maintained between blacks and Republicans.
2. Posted by Jim Addison | November 2, 2006 1:22 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 2, 2006 13:22