Kamala Harris - For California Attorney General 2010

Blacks Seek Top State Posts in Fall Elections

By Kevin Chappell, Jet Magazine
August 20, 2010

BY KEVIN CHAPPELL, Jet Magazine

Statewide office has been an elusive goal for African­-American politicians, who have historically been more suc­cessful in winning regionally elect­ed positions in state and federal govemment.

Even with the breakthrough of the first Black president, not much has changed. This primary season, there are only a handful of Blacks seeking to become their party's nominee for U.S. senator, governor and state attorney gen­eral - and few are seen as strong contenders for a win in the general election in November.

In Florida, Rep. Kendrick Meek is struggling to hold off Palm Beach billionaire real estate investor Jeff Greene in the state's Aug. 24 Senate Democratic primary. Before Meek, 43, - who succeeded his mother, Carrie Meek, in the U.S. House - can make history as Florida's first Black senator, he has to beat Greene, who has been touting the value of his business experience during tough economic times.

Meek says he hopes to continue his family legacy of public service. "Whether it's making sure students can learn or rework­ing mortgages to keep families in their homes, it's my privilege to fight for Florida:' Meek said on his Web site.

If Meek does win the primary, he faces a tough general elec­tion Nov. 2 against Marco Rubio, the Republican nominee, and the state's incumbent governor, Charlie Crist, who is running as an independent but is expected to win votes from Democrats.

In California, Kamala D. Harris, the current district attomey in San Francisco, is vying to become the state's first person of color, and first female, attorney general. After winning the Democratic Party's nomination in June, Harris, 45, now faces a strong challenge in November by the GOP's nominee, Steve Cooley, who is currently the district at­torney in Los Angeles County.

"This election in California represents a huge op­portunity for our state," Harris told JET. "Voters are making significant decisions about the direction of the state for the next eight years ... I believe Californians have the unique opportunity right now to usher in a new era of change and innovation."

Harris said that she would be tough on crime by be­ing "smart on crime .... I will continue _ .. to demonstrate the linkage between gang crime and truancy, and to get tough on truancy by holding parents accountable when their kids don't show up for school."

In Massachusetts, Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick is chasing history. If he wins a second term, it would be the first time an African-American go;vernor has done so. The general election is shaping up to be a close three-way race against Republican Charles Baker and Tim Cahill, an independent.

In Georgia, state Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond won the Democratic nomination for Senate, but faces an uphill battle against Republican incumbent Johnny Isakson.

David Bositis, senior political analyst for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Wash­ington, D.C., believes that Patrick and Harris may be the only two African-Americans with a legitimate chance of winning.

"It isn't an exceptional year in any way when it comes to African-American candidates:' he said. "It's not like there were tons of Black candidates who were poised in the right position. You don't run for senator or governor unless you have held a lower office that prepared you for it."// 

Source: Jet Magazine

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