 NATIONAL NEWS |
Black Gubernatorial Candidate Gets Lowest CBC Grade on NAACP Report Card
by Hazel Trice Edney
Editor-in-Chief
Originally posted 2/2/2010
WASHINGTON (NNPA) – U. S. Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.), a candidate for governor in his home state of Alabama, was the only representative in the 42-member Congressional Black Caucus who did not get an “A” on the NAACP Civil Rights Report Card released this week.
Davis, 42, barely got a grade of “B”, voting with the “bread and butter issues” of the civil rights organization only 80 percent of the time. He was also the only CBC member to vote against the historic health care legislation still being pushed by the Obama Administration.
Ironically, in a state that is renowned for its cruel racial segregationist history, Davis also voted against expanding federal law enforcement roles in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes.
The NAACP, a non-partisan organization, grades on issues related to education, foreign affairs, discrimination, economic justice, health care, civil liberties and criminal justice.
Political Scientist Dr. Ron Walters says Davis’ political profile is typical of African-Americans with plans to run for higher offices for which they must win White votes.
“The first rule of politics is if you’re going to run for office, you’ve got to represent the interests of your district. That’s fundamental. And if your district is conservative, which Alabama is, that means he has to match that,” Walters says.
He further explains, “When you think about the history of that state and the politics of it where the senators and Congresspersons line up, mostly Republican, mostly against the president’s agenda. It means that if you’re running for governor and if you don’t reflect some of those politics, then you’re likely not to be in sync with your constituency.
This may mean African-Americans who have long-awaited high level Black representation may not get significant change even with Blacks in higher office.
“There is this calculation between symbol and substance. And what we often get in those cases is more symbolic value than substantive value,” Walters says. He adds that the key answer will be to “demand” results from Black candidates. “We’ve got to start jumping up and down.”
Black leaders who fought in the Civil Rights Movement have become his chief critic in the election. They include the former and first Black mayor of Birmingham, Ala., Richard Arrington, as well as Joe Reed, founder and chairman of the Black wing of the Alabama Democratic Party, who have described Davis’ conservatism as a “generational cleavage”.
According to reports, Davis, 42, was first opposed by Reed and Arrington in 2002 when he earned support from Whites to win a congressional race, defeating an incumbent Black politician who was active in the civil rights struggle.
Davis has defended himself, saying to the Associated Press, “There is a group of insiders in this state who benefit from protecting the status quo.”
Blacks make up only 25 percent of Alabama’s registered voters and 26.4 percent of the general population.
Despite his getting the lowest grade on the NAACP Report Card, Davis has some Black victories under his belt.
He is credited with organizing bipartisan coalitions that supported the HOPE VI public-housing program, and helped to lead the re-opening of the Pigford Black farmers' lawsuit that resulted in a major settlement. He also has strong political capital. He is a member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and has run unopposed in his last two elections.
He also chaired the Alabama Democratic campaign of now President Barack Obama. According to recent polls, he could win support among Blacks and Whites are open to voting for him in the gubernatorial race.
The official filing deadline for all candidates is April 2. A Democratic primary will be held June 1 and the general election Nov. 2. If Davis wins, he would be only the third elected African-American governor in the nation. Meanwhile, in past years, he has gotten as low as a ''C'' on the NAACP report card.
''The NAACP commends those Congressional members who do indeed recognize the importance of fundamental civil rights as demonstrated by the passage of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act during the Congressional session,” says Hilary Shelton, NAACP Washington Bureau director and senior vice president for Advocacy and Policy. “However, the fact remains that there are many Congressional Senators and Representatives who have yet to demonstrate their commitment to such fundamental principles of civil and human rights. The NAACP will continue to hold Congress accountable for upholding the civil rights of all Americans in their Congressional voting patterns, legislative judgments and advancement of public policies.''
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