Charlie Crist Going after the Black Vote in Florida Governor's Race
- Details
- Category: Politics
- Published: Sunday, 17 August 2014 02:30
- Written by Roger Caldwell
By Roger Caldwell
The Black vote will start determining the winner in many statewide races around the country. In the 2012 election the Black women vote was the largest voting segment in the country. When Black men realize their voting power and partnering with Black women, they will create a block that will determine the outcomes in many major races.
Governor Scott has dismissed the Black vote as if it does not exist, and Charlie Crist has taken the opposite strategy and approach. Charlie Crist is opening campaign headquarters in Back communities, and this will make a different in getting the Black vote out during a mid-term election. Historically, the Black vote has been more effective during a presidential election cycle, but all the experts are watching this mid-term election very closely.
Last week, Charlie Crist drew a crowd of 200 supporters to the opening of his campaign office on Sistrunk
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Boulevard. This is the main street in the Black community, in northwest Fort Lauderdale, and two other Black candidates have offices in the building. Thaddeus Hamilton, who is running for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, and incumbent Alcee Hastings, running for U.S. House of Representatives, both have offices in the building.
In order to become Florida's governor as a Democrat, Crist must convince Blacks and minorities that he will allow them to sit at the table and be involved in his campaign. Many believe that Alex Sink lost the race for governor in 2010, because she did not have a strategy for Blacks and Hispanics.
Anthony Man, a Sun Sentinel political reporter says, "A central element of Crist's strategy against Republican Gov. Rick Scott in November is trying to boost turnout among black voters, which tends to dip in midyear elections between presidential contests." It will be very important that Crist has other campaign headquarters in Black Neighborhoods around the state.
Related: Is The Black Vote In-Play In 2014 Florida's Governor's Race
At this point in the campaign, many Blacks are concerned and hesitant about Crist's change from Republican to Democrat. When Crist opens Black neighborhood campaign headquarters, he must spend money with Black outreach volunteers and put Blacks in leadership positions. Blacks are tired of seeing young white political activist getting paid, making decisions, and trying to build partnerships in Black communities.
Crist has collected over $5 million for his war chest, and he has a PAC that has raised around $5 million. A percentage of this money must be allotted to the Black and Hispanic community, if Crist is going to win in Florida. The Black vote is the key to Crist winning the election, because there are 2.3 million Blacks registered to vote in Florida.
Rick Scott won the election in 2010 with only 2, 619,335 votes. Blacks have the political power to deliver to Charlie Crist 2 million votes, if 85% of registered Blacks voted in the 2014 governor's election. There is power in the Black vote in Florida, and Crist must make an all out effort to get the Black vote out in 2014.
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Gov. Rick Scott removed over 1 billion dollars from the state's educations budget. This action was supported by the Orange County School Board. The board recouped some of these funds by closing schools and canceling programs like music and physical education. The board also zoned some District 5 students to other schools which also moved funds from our area to other areas. Vote 'NO' on the half penny tax extension and demand that the board and the governor fix this mess. |