Black Candidates for Statewide Office
Black Candidates for Statewide Office
David A. Bositis
July 7, 2006
Former Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick's prospects for becoming the next Governor of Massachusetts are looking up. In the latest polling, he is leading Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly for the Democratic nomination 31 to 25 percent; wealthy investment banker Chris Gabrieli is in third place at 22 percent. The primary is on September 19. Patrick also has the endorsement of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. In the general election contest, with Patrick matched up against Republican Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, he leads 38 to 25 percent. Massachusetts' black voting-age population (BVAP) makes up six percent of the total population of voters.
In the latest polls, Ohio Secretary of State and Republican gubernatorial nominee Ken Blackwell continues to trail his opponent, Democratic U.S. Representative Ted Strickland, 50 to 37 percent; Ohio's BVAP is 10.9 percent of the total voting-age population. In the Pennsylvania governor's race, Republican nominee and former Pittsburgh Steeler Lynn Swann trails Democratic Governor Ed Rendell 50 to 36 percent. Pennsylvania's BVAP makes up 9.5 percent of the total voting-age population. Charlie Cook of the Cook Political Report rates both races as leaning Democratic. Also in Ohio, Democrats have nominated a black woman, Barbara Sykes, to be their candidate for State Auditor.
The Washington Post released poll results in early July showing that former U.S. Representative and national NAACP President Kweisi Mfume is leading U.S. Representative Ben Cardin for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination 31 to 25 percent; however, about one-third of the Democratic primary voters are undecided. The primary is on September 12. Both Mfume and Cardin lead black Republican Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele in the general election—Mfume by three points and Cardin by ten. Maryland's BVAP is 27.1 percent of the total voting-age population.
In Mississippi, black State Representative Eric Fleming won the run-off on June 27 and is the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee there. He will face Senator Trent Lott in the general election, and the seat is generally considered safe for the Republicans. No black candidate has ever won statewide office in Mississippi. The BVAP of Mississippi is 33.6 percent of the voting-age population.
No recent polls have indicated the status of Democratic U.S. Representative Harold Ford Jr. and his campaign to replace retiring Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist in Tennessee. The Cook Political Report rates the election a toss-up. Ford's Republican opponent will be selected in the primary on August 3. Tennessee's BVAP is 14.8 percent of the total voting-age population.
Finally, Democrat Cheryl Footman was nominated to be her party's candidate for Secretary of State in South Carolina. The state’s BVAP is 27.5 percent of the total voting-age population.