Ministers For Locke

The Gene Locke campaign has released a list of ministers and faith-based organizations that are supporting Locke for Mayor of Houston. 

 (The entire release is posted below)

Apparently the campaign held a minister’s breakfast on Thursday, for the various leaders and groups to show their support.  I’m surprised they didn’t invite the media to the event, but the announcement comes at the right time for Locke,  who seems to be struggling to hold together the kind of  coalition he needs to make it into the runoff.

According to poll results in the Houston Chronicle, Mayoral Candidate Peter Brown is gaining strong support in the African-American community.  The candidate who can combine a strong turnout on the westside, with strong support in the African-American community has the best chance of  finishing first or second on election day.

Several of the ministers listed below told me they will work hard to make sure Locke is elected.

 And while they plan to keep politics out of the pulpit, they will encourage some of their members to consider voting and volunteering for Locke. 

Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell said that Locke has a history of  fighting for economic development and civil rights for all people in Houston.  According to Pastor Caldwell, Locke is the kind of man who works hard to help others, but doesn’t spend a lot of time boasting about his record or achievement. 

In most cases that is a good quality in a person, but when it comes to running a succesful campaign for mayor, Gene Locke needs to start speaking up if he wants to win. 

MINISTERS FOR LOCKE
Nearly 100 Members of the Clergy Throw Their Support Behind Locke 

Houston, TX – The Gene Locke campaign today released their list of ministers and ministerial organizations that have endorsed him for mayor. This is in addition to the many community organizations and elected officials who have previously endorsed Locke.

The campaign held a minister’s breakfast on Thursday, October 22, 2009 that drew over 60 of the ministers who are supporting Locke. This was one of several breakfasts the campaign has held with members of the clergy since Locke entered the race for mayor.

“It is important that we get behind Gene Locke as our candidate for Mayor. It is imperative that we inform our families and friends of this committed and visionary leader,” said Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell, Windsor Village United Methodist Church.

“As Gene Locke’s pastor, I know him to be a man of integrity and faith.  I also know he has the intellect, vision and broad experience necessary to make Houston an even greater city,” said Dr. Marcus D. Cosby, Sr. Pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church. “Gene Locke is the best person to lead our city and we need to do everything we can to make sure our parishioners go to the polls and vote for him.”

“I have always said there is nothing more important to me than faith and family. These are the values I will bring to City Hall and I feel honored and blessed to have so many from the faith community who are putting their faith and trust in me,” said Locke at the breakfast. “I am excited that I have been able to bring together a such diverse group of supporters from every corner of the city. I look forward to doing the same as mayor.”

Locke is the only mayoral candidate who has endorsements from business, labor, Houston police and firefighters, Democrats, Independents, Republicans and the Houston Chronicle.

Below is a list of ministers, organizations and African American elected officials who have endorsed Locke for Mayor.
Clergy

Rev. Lionel Aaron Bishop David Allen Sr Rev. Albert Baker Rev. Ida Baker Rev. Leonard Barksdale Rev. Vernon Bell, Jr. Rev. Elaine Benson Rev. Donald E. Booker Rev. Gusta Booker, Jr. Rev. Melvin Braford Rev. Ruben Brazille Rev. O.B. Winkley Rev. Carl L. Brock Bishop P.E. Bryant Sr. Rev. Kevin Bullock Rev. Andrew Burks Rev. Charles Butler, Jr. Rev. Don Caggins Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell Rev. James Carrington Rev. Harvey Clemons, Jr. Rev. Myron Cloyd Rev. Dennis D. Collins Rev. Samuel Compton Rev. Marcus Cosby Rev. Walter Cosby Rev. Joe Dancy Rev. Roderick Dawson Rev. Reginald De Vaughn Rev. Taylor Dimes Rev. Leonard Favorite Rev. Michael Felder Rev. Louise Fordham Rev. John C. Gibbs

Rev. L.E. Gibbs Rev. Joe Ratliff Rev. Remus Wright Rev. Paul Giddings Rev. S.J. Gilbert, Jr. Rev. Julius Glass Rev. James Earl Glenn Rev. Robert Green Rev. Leo Griffin Rev. Hunt Harris Rev. Ricky Bell Rev. Joyce Hill Rev. E.D. Hodge Rev. Willie Hunter Rev. Leon Jackson Rev. Robert C. Jefferson Rev. Manson B. Johnson Rev. Rhenel Johnson Rev. Willie Jordan Bishop Rufus Kyles, Jr. Rev. Royce Lemon Rev. Kenneth Levinston Rev. James Lightfoot Rev. James Lovelady Rev. Darrell Luckett Rev. Ernest Mcgowen, Sr. Rev. Carl Melton Elder W. J. Collins Rev. Bobby Morgan Rev. Tremail Prudhomme Rev. Brenda Perry Rev. Gwen Pierre

Rev. Raymond Robinson Rev. Eddie Reed, Jr. Rev. Linda Robinson Rev. Hermann Reese Rev. Raymond Robinson Rev. Jo Anne Valley Rush Rev. R. L. Thompson Rev, Clethous Montgomery Rev. Terry Anderson Rev. Ricky Williams Bishop Floyd Lewis Bishop Delegrantiss Rev. Cleothus Montgomery Rev. Carl Matthews Rev. Robert Mckinley Gilmore, Sr. Rev. J.C. Nickerson Bishop Hewitt Richardson Rev. Asa Sampson Rev. L.C. Sidley Bishop J.W. Smith Rev. Ronnie Sneed Rev. Robert Staggers Rev. Herbert Strohman Rev. Kirk Thompson Rev. Randall Tucker Rev. Oscar E. Walker Rev. Romanuel Washington Rev. Howard Watson, Sr. Rev. Gary Watson Rev D. J. Watson Rev. Larry E. Williams Dr. Michael P. Williams Bishop J. Douglas Wiley

Elected Officials

U.S. Rep. Al Green State Representative Harold Dutton

State Sen. Rodney Ellis County Commissioner El Franco Lee

State Representative Senfronia Thompson Constable May Walker

Organizations

Houston Black American Democrats Teamsters Local Union No. 98 Afro-American Sheriff’s Deputy League Independent Electrical Contractors Association Texas Gulf Coast Chapter United Steelworkers Local Union 13-1 United Food & Commercial Workers Union African American Police Officers League Houston Metropolitan

Pleasantville Voter’s League International Longshoreman Association African Coalition PAC Harris County Council of Organizations Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce PAC Harris County AFL-CIO Houston Hispanic Fire Fighter Caucus Local 341

Communications Workers of America Local 6222 Harris Councy Tejano Democrats IBEW Local 66 Texas Carpenters Millwrights Regional Council Local 551 Houston 80-20 Asian American PAC Latino Labor Leadership Council Northeast Harris County Ministers Alliance

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