Democrats' worst nightmare

I've written often about RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman's outreach events and the effects that outreach is having. Bob Novak's Townhall.com column offers proof that Mehlman's efforts are paying off.
Richmond Myrick, the principal of Largo High School, is a registered Democrat in overwhelmingly Democratic Prince George's County next to Washington, D.C. He has not been active politically and is not recorded as having made any contributions to candidates for federal office. Yet recently, he stood in the parking lot of Prince George's Community College adjoining his school to introduce Republican Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, whom he has endorsed for the U.S. Senate.

Myrick is African American, as are most students at Largo High. So is Steele. If enough non-political blacks follow Myrick's course, Steele will become the first black Republican elected to the Senate in 32 years. That is the Democrats' worst nightmare. Democratic dominance in Maryland has been based on maintaining a hammerlock over the state's substantial African-American vote. Steele threatens that domination.
Alot of Democratic leaders heard about Mehlman's efforts and ignored it. One who didn't was Donna Brazile, Al Gore's campaign advisor. She warned the DNC that this effort would have an effect. Howard Dean made his infamous remark that
"You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room?," Dean asked to laughter. "Only if they had the hotel staff in here"
Hillary Clinton made her plantation comments. But they didn't do a thing to connect with the concerns of black voters. That won't win them continued support from the rising black middle class.
Democratic leaders were not happy when Steele, as running mate in 2002, helped pull even a mere 5 percent of the black vote for Robert Ehrlich, the winning Republican for governor. Running by himself for the Senate, Steele will surely do much better. His own surveys show 14 percent, with an upside potential of 44 percent. If Steele gets 25 percent of the black vote, he is probably the winner.
Forget that last sentence. If Steele wins 25 percent of the black vote, he will be Senator-Elect Steele. PERIOD. Not only that but perceptions about the GOP and minorities will change substantially. That isn't saying that they'll win a majority of black votes anytime soon but people will notice and behavior will change. Also worth noting is the belief amongst many Republicans that the Democrats will lose more face if they pick white Congressman Ben Cardin over former NAACP chairman Kweisi Mfume. I'm one of those who are convinced that'll matter, too.



Posted Monday, May 29, 2006 11:17 AM

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