More Minority Candidates Running for GOP than Since the 19th Century

[Toro]

South Carolina Republicans shattered racial traditions this week by voting to nominate an Indian-American woman for the state's governorship and an African-American for the U.S. Congress—punctuating a year in which the GOP has fielded more non-white candidates nationally than any since the 19th century.

Nearly 40 African-Americans ran for the U.S. House or Senate as Republicans this year, according to the Frederick Douglass Foundation, a black Republican group. Eight black hopefuls have secured the GOP nomination in primaries, and several more are in the running in states where primaries haven't yet been held.

Notable was the choice this week in a predominantly white congressional district in South Carolina of Tim Scott, a 44-year-old African-American, over the son of former U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond—a figure who once symbolized segregation in the Deep South.

Mr. Scott, a state House member and former chairman of the Charleston County council, tweeted Tuesday night that "history is made in S.C.!" Mr. Scott is now the favorite to win the election in November and thus become the first black Republican in Congress since Rep. J.C. Watts (R., Okla.) retired in 2003.

But a contradiction remains: Despite the GOP's ability to attract minority candidates it has trouble luring minority voters. The vast majority of the non-white candidates running as Republicans already have lost, dropped out or are expected to lose this season.

A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released Wednesday shows that support for the GOP among blacks and Hispanics has fallen sharply from earlier this decade. And the presence of an incumbent black Democratic president is likely to hinder African-American support for Republican presidential candidates in 2012. ...

Timothy F. Johnson, founder of the Frederick Douglass Foundation, said 2010 is a milestone—especially in tapping into the fundamental conservatism of many African-Americans on some social issues. "Blacks are conservative but they vote Democratic," Mr. Johnson said.

African-Americans tend to be significantly more conservative on social and cultural issues than whites, particularly on homosexuality, according to a 2006 survey by the Pew Research Center. The study indicated that 40% of black respondents were socially conservative, compared to 26% of whites.

Some of the more successful black Republican candidates this year have tapped into African-American conservative religious activism more effectively than white candidates in the past. ...

Nikki Haley, the Indian-American mother of two who won the runoff in South Carolina's GOP gubernatorial primary this week, hit core conservative themes in her long-shot campaign—opposing health-care reform, taking a hard line on immigration and underscoring her conversion to Christianity. She is now the favorite to win the governorship in November. Ms. Haley would become the second child of Indian immigrants to be elected a governor in the U.S., joining Louisiana's Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, who was elected in 2007.

...

Republicans Raise Minority Profile - WSJ.com

 

[Oddball]

Wha?!?!??

Obviously, the RNC bouncer has been sleeping at the door!

 

[topspin]

you should be KKKDude

 

[Oddball]

*woooooosh*
^^^^^^^
The sound of something going clean over your head.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

I guess that's the end of hearing the idiot liberals claim the GOP is the party of old racist white men.

 

[GHook93]

I do hope this trend increases, however, I hope they are still voting for the right candidates and not just the minority candidate. Voting simply because of someone's race or religion is just as bad as voting because of party lines!

 

[GHook93]

I guess that's the end of hearing the idiot liberals claim the GOP is the party of old racist white men.

Oh know we will never hear the end of that. They will always fall back on that card. The minute you get a Democrats backed in a corner losing on the issues, they play the race card!

 

[hunter10]

wow big deal, did u also know that less blacks are being killed by linch mobs since the 19th century, like OMG.

 

[uscitizen]

LOL, this will have interesting and unintended consequences for the future of the republican party.

 

[Oddball]

Interesting and unintended in what way?

 

[Misty]

Interesting and unintended in what way?

the republicans will take over the earth.