New GOP Billboard Targets Black Voters October 18, 2010

There it was at the corner of 610 and Scott: a new billboard targeting African-Americans.

I admit it caused me to do a double take.  I’m lucky that the billboard didn’t cause me to have a fender bender in heavy traffic. 

At the risk of sounding partisan (and, trust me – I’m not) I don’t know how anyone can make the  claim in 2010 that “GOP is the new Black.”  

Seriously?

The ad is paid for by Raging Elephants, and you can read more at www.RagingElephants.org.

I realize that the GOP has done limited outreach to African-American voters, and there are some who believe the party’s message of  limited spending, anti-abortion and smaller government.

But in this year of the angry Tea Party, talk of  taking “back our country”  and Rush Limbaugh calling President Obama a jack###, most African-Americans I know are offended and turned off  by the GOP.

Someone please show me proof of  an African-American stampede toward the Republican Party.

I doubt the GOP in Texas will win more than 10%  of the African-American vote.

I’ve always believed that people should vote for the party or political candidates of their choice.

I honestly don’t know how anyone can believe that G.O.P. is the new Black.

Bill White for Governor Campaign Recruits A Veteran Political Player August 29, 2010

The Bill White campaign for governor of  Texas is getting an experienced political operative to help the former Houston Mayor defeat Governor Rick Perry.

I ran into William Paul Thomas Saturday night at the Greater Houston Partnership World Trade Soiree.  He confirmed to 2 On The Beat that he is joining the campaign through election day in November.

Thomas plans to take a sixty day leave of absence from his job as chief  of staff for Houston city council member Sue Lovell.

He wouldn’t provide specifics about his role when I asked him to describe his responsibilities.  He told me that he would to defer to the campaign to make the announcement.

I assume that he  is going to help White  create some excitement and bolster election day turnout in African-American communities across Texas.

I’ve heard grumblings from many Democrats that White is  taking  African-American voters for granted.  

Some are also upset that he doesn’t have a prominent African-American on his campaign staff. 

If  White doesn’t give African-Americans a reason to vote for him in November, many will stay home, and  he’ll have a tough time defeating Rick Perry.

Thomas is a political campaign veteran and he has worked on staff for  U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Senator Rodney Ellis, in addition  to his current job at city hall.