MACON, Ga. —
In Georgia, a Democratic lawmaker planning a run for governor promises to confront President Donald Trump and what she calls the “fascists” surrounding him. In Maryland, a former president of the NAACP warns national Democrats not to take African-Americans for granted. The mayor of Tallahassee, Florida, goes even further, declaring that Democrats have failed by fixating on centrist voters.
In states from Massachusetts to Florida, a phalanx of young black leaders in the Democratic Party is striding into some of the biggest elections of 2018, staking early claims on governor-ships and channeling the outcry of rank-and-file Democrats who favor all-out battle with Trump and increasingly question his legitimacy as president.
By moving swiftly into the most contentious midterm races, these candidates aim to cement their party in forceful opposition to Trump and to align with minority communities and young people. Rather than muting their differences with the Republican Party in order to compete in states Trump won, like Georgia and Florida, they aim to make those distinctions starker.
And, these Democrats say, they are willing to defy the conventional strategic thinking of the national party (DNC) establishment, which has tended to recruit moderate, white candidates for difficult races and largely failed to help blacks advance to high office under President Barack Obama.
Just yesterday someone commented to me where are our young black leaders, the community is getting tired of Rev’s Al, Jesse Jackson and E. Cleaver from St. Louis. As we did in the late 60’s and early 70’s we as young blacks took our place in government and business entities. I applaud these young black faces whoever they are for being rebels and not just followers of the old guard who refuses to relinquish power. MORE POWER TO EACH OF YOU AND MY SUPPORT IS THERE IF NEEDED.
E. Bishop, Co-Founder Follow The Money