Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200610/POL20061020a.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPol itics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200610/POL20061020a.html</a> >>In an attempt to mobilize Maryland's African American "values voters," some clergy members are using their positions within the church to tell their congregations and those in the Baltimore area to vote accordingly, not along party lines in November. This could primarily boost the Republican U.S. Senate campaign of Maryland's Michael Steele, who is black. Bishop Harry Jackson, chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition, said that values in the United States have been "denigrated" over the last few years. "There is a new civil rights movement growing in America," said Jackson at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. "We need to look to leaders who align with our moral and spiritual philosophy." Jackson added, "We are educating voters as to where the different candidates stand on important issues like prison reform, economic empowerment through education, immigration reform, strong foreign policy, in addition to protecting the sanctity of life and the preservation of marriage. "There needs to be an agenda for the Black community to rally around, instead of just the agenda of a particular party," Jackson said. The High Impact Leadership Coalition is also sponsoring a $50,000 ad buy in Baltimore, Md., on cable and radio. African Americans in Maryland and nationwide have traditionally been strong supporters of the Democratic Party, but with Democratic Rep. Ben Cardin running against Republican Lt. Gov. Steele for the state's open U.S. Senate seat, it is unclear whether race or party will be a bigger factor in the upcoming election. In an Oct. 16 op/ed published on the TownHall.com website, Jackson stated that "[M]any supportive evangelicals are supporting Steele with their own outreach campaigns. They realize that they must choose between Michael Steele and an opponent who is the embodiment of everything they don't believe. "Ben Cardin is pro-abortion, pro-same-sex marriage, pro-embryonic stem cell research, and pro-amnesty" for illegal immigrants, Jackson added.<<
Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200610/POL20061019b.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPol itics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200610/POL20061019b.html</a> >>Sixteen percent of black Democratic voters in Maryland are backing Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich in his reelection bid, while 21 percent have yet to decide, according to a new poll that suggests he still has time to pick up more votes among black Democrats. The poll by Ariel & Ethan, LLC, also found that Democratic nominee Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, who is also white, has 64 percent of black Democrats. More than one in five voters is not yet decided on the gubernatorial race. Ehrlich also has nearly one in five votes among middle-aged blacks (aged 35-65), and he has more support among single, unmarried black voters (21 percent). The poll shows the governor with the strongest support among the state's highest and lowest earners, with 20 percent or more of earners with household incomes above $85,000 and below $25,000. Former Prince George's County Executive Wayne Curry said the governor's increasing support among the black community reveals the Democratic Party's failure to respond to the growing needs of that segment of the population. "These results confirm a long-held suspicion that the Democratic Party has been slow to respond to the maturation, sophistication and (simply put) frustrations of a pivotal segment of its historic base," said Curry in a statement. "It's obvious that the Party has a lot of work to do to offer a meaningful commitment to their most loyal constituency. And it's doubtful that we'll see or hear anything different between now and Election Day," Curry added.<<
