Steele Endorsements Gaining Momentum

Yesterday, a group of clergy from Prince George's County Maryland, endorsed Michael Steele for the U.S. Senate. Hot Air has the video and an short interview with Steele. This endorsement, which comes on the heels of the endorsements of Prince George's County Democratic leaders on the County Council and others, demonstrates yet again, the momentum of a campaign of ideas. This latest endorsement is proof again that the Democratic chickens are coming home to roost. At a time when 25% of Maryland blacks are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the Maryland Democratic party, Steele has provided a viable outlet for their frustration. Focusing on education, opportunity and other issues of prime importance to the black community, Steele is doing something Ben Cardin the Democratic ticket has failed to do--take seriously the Maryland black voter.

When the P.G. County politicians endorsed Steele, a lot of people just sort of blew off the endorsement as one of nothing more than race, and you can be sure that the left wing netroots are going to call these pastors traitors to their race. But the clergy endorsement is huge for three reasons.

First, black voters who attend church, like all Americans, vote in much higher proporotions that non-church-goers. This fact has been proven time and time again in national election and voter behavior studies. For many of these black churches in Prince George's County, there is more in common with Michael Steele than with Ben Cardin and it goes beyond race. Steele's conservative approaches to family, individual responsibility and autonomy and other moral issues resonate well in this community. Steele's hard work in this community over decades is starting to pay off, both for him personally and politically as well as for the GOP.

Second, this endorsement cannot be seen as simply political, as many viewed the County Council endorsements. These endorsements are cultural and moral. These endorsements are about the ideas that Steele espouses.

Third, the endorsements, coming just five days before the election demonstrate that Cardin and Maryland Democrats have a race problem. For so long, the Democrats have been able to paint the GOP as the party of racism, of exclusion. Now one doesn't have to look to elsewhere in the country to find that the GOP is the party of hard work, of merit and of allowing people to be the best they can be. Which is what these church leaders are saying.

When Kweisi Mfume announced he would run for the U.S. Senate and the Maryland Democratic establishment hemmed and hawed about it and then breathlessly endorsed Cardin when he jumped in, the Maryland Dems practically signed their death political death warrant. I expect that other black leaders around the state are seriously thinking about Steele. They should.

Update: Mary Katherine Ham also has an interview with Steele.