In part two of this series, I spoke to several individuals who have chosen to give the Republican Party a chance. First, Rev. Clyde Cook, former candidate for Camden City council at large plans to run for mayor of Camden in 2013 as a Republican. He has been in contact with Frances Rice, chair of the National Black Republican Association. In a previous article, he remarked that the GOP has not made any significant damage to the city and that it was time that Camden sees a change in leader. He believes that this can only happen by supporting and electing conservative leadership.
On the other side of the county, Gloucester Township Councilwoman Crystal Evans, who supported Governor Chris Christie (R) in his gubertorial campaign, remarked that, "People are starting to get fed up by being overlooked for job opportunities. It is if we are not important to the Democratic Party and leaders are jumping ship. We are only being used when it is election time." But don't look for Evans to jump ship just yet, when asked if she planned on switching parties she replied, "I want to see if we (Republicans and Democrats) can work together. I am staying a Democrat to try to change the culture in the party."
Also in Gloucester Township, in last year's general election, Eugene Lawrence, a former Democratic Gloucester Township councilman, unsuccessfully ran on the GOP ticket for NJ 4th legislative district for the assembly. In his campaign announcement, he admitted that he voted for former Gloucester Township mayor, Cindy Rau-Hatton, when she was elected as the first Republican mayor in 2006.
Jeff Booker, who is currently on the Gloucester Township GOP committee and previously served as the Executive Director of Camden County GOP (2002-04) stated, "I believe that the GOP is the party that exemplifies responsibility, small government, liberty, and self-determination. Younger blacks are becoming Republican because they see the negative affect of a large out of control government can be. As you get older, people start to change their views. We are starting to see suspicion in the local Democratic Party. However, our party has not done a good job of recruiting people of color and I am apart of the effort to do better."
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Photo Credit: AP Photo/FOX News Sunday, Freddie Lee
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- Are African-Americans ready to embrace the GOP? Part 1
- Former Camden city council candidate sets the record straight on Fox 29 campaign scandal
- New Jersey honors its first African American legislators
Ideas, Scoops, just want to say "Hi?" Email me: dtamaraclewis@aol.com
Comments
For 200 years Americans called themselves a nation of god, much as the GOP now claims to be the party of god. Yet it was only BIG government that allowed Blacks to sit on the bus.
H--L NO! Not this African-American woman.
candidates should be judged on the content of their character, not on the initial (R or D) after their name.
Tank - FYI it was the GOP that was instrumental in assuring that blacks could sit on any seat in the bus that they wanted to.
Why keep letting the DIXIECRATS use and abuse us. Martin Luther King was a republican. The Democrats have kept blacks on Welfare. Sory Cheryl Brown, Learn your history about the Dixie Dems, I bet you'll change your mind quick.
Democrats in nj are dictators and because of the Norcross Machine he has kept them enslaved.
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