B en Jealous fell short in his effort to become governor of Maryland when he lost the election on Tuesday night to incumbent Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. NBC News projected Hogan’s win. The former NAACP president had been leaning on his roots in civil rights in his unsuccessful bid to become the first African-American governor in Maryland. While Jealous, 45, had been consistently polling behind Hogan, he made some strong moves ahead of Election Day, including recruiting legendary comedian Dave Chappelle to knock on doors and encourage people to vote for him. One major platform that appealed to Black people, in particular, was Jealous’ plan to increase funding for and bring better academic programs to the states historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). “I’ve put a detailed plan on the table to ensure that we finally treat our state’s HBCUs fairly,” Jealous recently told the AFRO. “We’ve been underfunding public higher education for too long and we need to reorient our state’s priorities back towards making sure we’re preparing our kids for the workforce. As governor, I’m committed to putting an end to this lawsuit and fulfilling the state’s obligations to our HBCUs.” Jealous won the state’s Democratic primary in late June to add to be one of three Black people running for governor, along with Florida’s Andrew Gillum and Georgia’s Stacey Abrams. SEE ALSO: Stacey Abrams’ Unapologetically Black Journey To The Doorstep Of History Political Races To Watch In 2018 Midterm Elections Featuring Black Candidates [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3835357″ overlay=”true”]
A yanna Pressley on Tuesday night officially became the first Black women to represent Massachusetts in Congress after officials confirmed her inevitable victory. The Democrat ran unchallenged in the general election after she unseated the incumbent, 10-term Rep. Michael Capuano, in a seemingly improbable upset that was all part of a larger “Blue wave” of Black women candidates winning primaries across the country. #BREAKING : Democrat Ayanna Pressley is projected to win in Massachusetts' 7th Congressional District, becoming the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress in state history. https://t.co/aEbQQMVVRY pic.twitter.com/OMj07Vx4RW — NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) November 7, 2018 Pressley, who was set to take over the Seventh Congressional District, told NewsOne shortly before her landmark victory in September that her years serving on the Boston City Council as its first African-American woman prepared her for this moment. She was especially nonplussed by how the Democratic Party hadn’t been rallying around her. “I was not surprised, mostly because I knew what I was embarking upon, that this would likely be a lonely, uphill, and bruising journey,” Pressley said at the time . “We’re doing something disruptive, challenging conventional wisdom, narratives and norms about who has a right to run, when you can run, and whether or not you can win.” Pressley was now on the precipice of stepping into the same congressional seat once occupied by John F. Kennedy ahead of his run for president in the 1960s. Providing some much needed political perspective in the era of Donald Trump, Pressley told the New York Times that she was cautiously optimistic for the future. “With our rights under assault, with our freedoms under siege, it’s not just good enough to see the Democrats back in power, but it matters who those Democrats are,” she said. “Change isn’t waiting any longer. We have arrived, change is coming and the future belongs to all of us.” SEE ALSO: The Power Of The Black Vote And How To Make Each One Count Stacey Abrams’ Unapologetically Black Journey To The Doorstep Of History [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3835357″ overlay=”true”]
A n often overlooked way that suppression of Black votes occurs has been through the use of ancient, error-prone paperless voting machines. Many of these ATM-style pieces of aging equipment have been around for nearly two decades and were riddled with known problems. Still, they were being used for Tuesday’s pivotal Midterm elections that carry a world of political consequence. The practice was particularly problematic in Georgia, where all voters were using the same equipment. But there was an important distinction to be made: voters in the poorest communities, which many times is synonymous for where Black folks live, tend to have the oldest of the machines made available to them, increasing errors for a demographic that has traditionally been underserved politically. “The counties and cities with the fewest resources are voting on the oldest equipment that tend to have the most problems,” Edgardo Cortés , an election security advisor at the Brennan Center for Justice’s Democracy Program, confirmed to NewsOne during an interview on Monday. Cortés said the Brennan Center, a nonpartisan law and policy institute at New York University Law School, has been making a big push nationally, including in Georgia, to get states and local governments to get rid of the paperless equipment. Using them could result in voters continuing to see their votes being switched, as was the case in Georgia during early voting in the weeks leading up to Election Day. That probability far outweighed the chances of any electronic interference, Cortés said. Making matters worse, there is no paper trail that could verify the voter’s intent. See Also: Judge Rejects Brian Kemp’s Georgia Absentee Ballot Suppression Attempt Not including printed paper or provisional ballots, there were only five states nationwide that were exclusively using paperless electronic voting machines that don’t provide printed documentation of the voter’s choices. Those states are Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, and South Carolina. Another eight states, including Texas and Pennsylvania, were also using paperless machines in some of their jurisdictions. Predictably, the problem all came down to money for these states’ underserved communities. “They don’t have the finances and resources to switch out the newer equipment,” Cortés said. “Because of that, you start to see a divide in the voting experience depending on where you live.” Georgia’s election was under a microscope for good reason. Electronic machines there have been vulnerable to hacking and were notoriously prone to errors . The main problem involved voters selecting a candidate on the screen before the machine automatically cast the ballot for a different candidate. Errors with the machines tended to involve voter selections automatically switching from Democratic to Republican candidates. All hands are on deck working overtime to help flex the power of the Black vote for the midterm elections. #RepresentTheVote https://t.co/SKgVhIeqHz — NewsOne (@newsone) November 2, 2018 Compounding those reports was the glaring conflict of interest from Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp , the Republican candidate for governor who was also overseeing the state’s election system. He was running against Stacey Abrams , who could make history as the nation’s first African-American woman governor. The two candidates were in a neck-and-neck race, so faulty machines could conceivably hand the election to Kemp. This all came against the backdrop of voting rights groups filing federal lawsuits against Kemp for rejecting certain absentee ballots , blocking approximately 53,000 voter registration forms and purging some 700,000 voters from the state’s voting rolls—all targeting Black voters. The problems with Georgia’s electronic machines were not new, and Kemp has long resisted using a paper ballot backup system since there was no incentive to change it because the errors favor his party. With Election Day here, it’s too late to make changes to the equipment. Cortés advised voters to review their summary screen before casting their vote to ensure that their choices were selected. And as a contingency, officials should maintain enough paper and provisional ballots on hand if machines don’t work. SEE ALSO: Political Races To Watch In 2018 Midterm Elections Featuring Black Candidates The Power Of The Black Vote And How To Make Each One Count [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3834782″ overlay=”true”]
T he 2018 midterm elections are just a couple of days away, and Black candidates are a big part of the blue wave that Democrats hope will push the Republicans out of office in Congress and state governments. SEE ALSO: Blue Party: Say Hello To The Black Wave Here are several key congressional and statewide races to watch that feature African-American candidates: Stacey Abrams : Georgia Governor Abrams will become the first Black woman governor in the nation if elected. In 2010, Abrams made history as the first Africa-American Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives. Oprah rallied a crowd of Stacey Abrams' supporters. Here are some memorable moments… https://t.co/hB9uBUDWDw #RepresentTheVote #TeamAbrams @staceyabrams @Oprah pic.twitter.com/lDDVa39iqY — NewsOne (@newsone) November 1, 2018 DD Adams: U.S. Congress North Carolina 5th District Denise Darcel Adams has served as councilmember for the North Ward of Winston-Salem since 2009, and she’s currently serving as vice chair of the Finance Committee and the Community Development/Housing/General Government Committee. Unions of working people are proud to endorse DD Adams for NC's 5th Congressional District ! @DDAdamsCongress pic.twitter.com/lEjXDGOqX8 — NC State AFL-CIO (@NCStateAFLCIO) October 30, 2018 Colin Allred : U.S. Congress Texas 32nd District Allred is a civil rights attorney. He worked previously as a special assistant in the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of General Counsel. Join me in supporting Colin Allred via @actblue https://t.co/s9amKmfZ6W — Charles Lindsey (@FEB131313) November 2, 2018 Mandela Barnes : Wisconsin Lt. Governor Barnes is a Milwaukee native born in the city’s poorest and the nation’s most incarcerated zip code. At age 25, he was elected to the State Assembly. He will become Wisconsin’s first African-American lieutenant governor if elected. Wisconsin: We need Mandela Barnes as Lieutenant Governor! Please vote Nov. 6 for Tony Evers and Mandela Barnes! Follow: @TheOtherMandela and visit https://t.co/bfjLK93KHf to learn more about this amazing candidate! #UniteBlue #FlipItFriday #wipolitics pic.twitter.com/lZUkxVZLpH — UniteBlue Wisconsin (@UniteBlueWI) October 26, 2018 Adrienne Bell: U.S. Congress Texas 14th District Bell is a second-grade teacher. She is an advocate for early childhood education and vows to fight for quality education and healthcare for all while in Congress. I just gave to Adrienne Bell for Congress! https://t.co/MIkstCsGFu https://t.co/Au0yeWKNWx — Vote November 6 (@lang51b) October 18, 2018 Brandon P. Brown: U.S. Congress South Carolina 4th District Brown served as a state deputy director for then Sen. Joe Biden ‘s 2008 presidential campaign. He previously made history in 2004 as the first African-American nominated from a major party to run for Congress for the 4th District, which was an unsuccessful bid. Brandon P Brown is running for Gowdy's seat. Let's give him a boost. @brown_congress on twitter https://t.co/oyBKNboMqR . https://t.co/TRl36wXESm — Ghettonewz America (@Ghettonewz) July 13, 2018 Linda Coleman: U.S. Congress North Carolina 2nd District Coleman’s elected offices include Wake County North Carolina Commissioner and three terms in the North Carolina General Assembly. @LindaForNC is not afraid of the NRA! She will stand up and fight for the safety of her constituents in #NC02 . To pass strong gun laws and build a safer America, we need champions like Linda Coleman in Congress! #ElectionDay is on Tuesday! #VoteGVP pic.twitter.com/PL2uaUzOYA — CSGV (@CSGV) November 2, 2018 Deidre DeJear: Secretary of State, Iowa DeJear, a small business owner, is the first African-American candidate nominated by a major political party to run for a statewide office in Iowa. . @DeidreDeJear received an early education in public service from her grandmother. #TheChisholmList : https://t.co/J8m6100GxJ — ESSENCE (@Essence) November 1, 2018 Antonio Delgado : U.S. Congress New York 19th District This former rapper earned a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University in England and went to Harvard Law School. If elected, he will become the first African-American to represent New York’s 19th Congressional District. District 19 Congressional hopeful Antonio Delgado shows up at final Faso Friday in Midtown Kingston , NY to encourage supporters to bring people to the polls. pic.twitter.com/gjkxkBRtIu — Tania Barricklo (@tbarricklo) November 2, 2018 Keith Ellison : Minnesota Attorney General This deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee has served in Congress for the last twelve years. He stepped down from the House for the chance to become Minnesota’s first Black attorney general. He was the first Muslim elected to Congress. A domestic abuse allegation won't go away for Rep. Keith Ellison's campaign. Here's the latest… https://t.co/7OdA0J20TA pic.twitter.com/t4I0hYJ4F9 — NewsOne (@newsone) September 20, 2018 Aaron Ford: Nevada Attorney General Ford has served in the Nevada Senate where his colleges elected him Minority Leader for the 2015 legislative session. Meet Aaron Ford, the rising Democratic state lawmaker running for Nevada Attorney General https://t.co/9BhjhAQ6iu — Rent My Billboard (@4konWheels) October 25, 2018 Andrew Gillum : Florida Governor The Tallahassee mayor won an amazing come-from-behind victory to win the Democratic nomination. He’s on the path to becoming the state’s first African-American governor. NewsOne talked with @AndrewGillum about his campaign, as he races toward the finish line in the #FloridaPrimary for governor…. https://t.co/e2D9Xg3KE8 @peoplefor pic.twitter.com/aKGq5PwpWf — NewsOne (@newsone) August 28, 2018 Jahana Hayes : U.S. Congress Connecticut 5th District Hayes earned the prestigious National Teacher of the Year award in 2016. If elected to Congress, she’ll be the first Black woman to represent Connecticut in Congress. One of the nation’s most celebrated teachers, Jahana Hayes, joins a lineup of impressive Black female political candidates…. https://t.co/GURXkr2IL8 pic.twitter.com/fa6hFgUfEZ — NewsOne (@newsone) July 22, 2018 Yvonne Hayes Hinson: U.S. Congress Florida 3rd District Special needs teacher Yvonne Hayes Hinson specialized in educating children with neurological and behavioral challenges. After retiring from Miami-Dade Public Schools, she launched her own education company. I am proud to announce our banner of endorsements. Thank you to the organizations who endorsed our campaign. @FLAFLCIO @MomsDemand @progressivedemsfl @dwcfl @leap_forward @fllgbtadems @HRC https://t.co/BQxr4F6Jx2 pic.twitter.com/Npm5rdwtUX — Yvonne Hayes Hinson for Congress (@YvonneHinsonFL) September 29, 2018 Steven Horsford: U.S. Congress Nevada 4th District Horsford is a seasoned politician who was elected to Congress in 2012 and served as a Nevada state senator from 2004 to 2012. He was the first African-American Senate majority leader in Nevada. Nevada needs a candidate who has placed issues of work, wages, and wealth that affect the Black community at the center of their policy agenda. Nevada needs @StevenHorsford . #BlackEconomicAlliance #StevenHorsford #2018 Midterms #Nevada pic.twitter.com/kNKPy4PbkA — Black Economic Alliance (@BlkEconAlliance) November 2, 2018 Letitia James : New York Attorney General James will become the first Black woman to hold statewide office in New York if elected. As the city’s current public advocate, she was the African-American woman to win citywide office in New York. Letitia James is a step closer to the New York Attorney General office after her history-making Democratic primary win. Here are five things to know: https://t.co/Wg7qG1mhRV pic.twitter.com/1RIqXCWzD5 — NewsOne (@newsone) September 14, 2018 Ben Jealous : Maryland Governor At age 35, Jealous was named the youngest ever national president and CEO of the national NAACP . He will become Maryland’s first Black governor if elected. Congratulations to Ben Jealous on winning the Democratic governor primary in Maryland! There are now two Black nominees for governor, and counting. @BenJealous #BlackHistory https://t.co/zy2rDT2S7i pic.twitter.com/ScVjFAuJWd — NewsOne (@newsone) June 27, 2018 Francys Johnson: U.S. Congress Georgia 12th District Johnson is a criminal and civil law attorney, as well as a former president of the Georgia NAACP. Francys Johnson for Congress wants to share this story Francys Johnson for Congress: Let's take this Seat! https://t.co/Z37KAwaEvS — Francys Johnson for Congress (@francysjohnson) September 24, 2018 Lucy McBath : U.S. Congress Georgia 6th District Lucia “Lucy” McBath is the mother of Jordan Davis , who was shot and killed in 2012 by a white man at a Florida gas station. She’s been a leading voice against the state’s infamous stand-your-ground law. #Georgia don’t forget about Lucy McBath. She is the mother of slain teenager #JordanDavis . Get her into Congress on November 6th! #midterms #election2018 #VOTE https://t.co/s5gBdB2FFV — Keri Henderson (@KeriLHenderson) November 2, 2018 Joe Neguse: U.S. Congress Colorado 2nd District Neguse is an attorney and civic leader. His parents fled the war-torn African country of Eritrea and immigrated to the United States as refugees. Honored to earn the endorsement of The @coloradoan ! “Policy experience gives Joe Neguse an edge in race for Congress” https://t.co/EFVbOHadkb #copolitics — Joe Neguse (@JoeNeguse) October 14, 2018 Ilhan Omar : U.S. Congress Minnesota 5th District Born in Somalia, Omar and her family fled the country’s civil war when she was 8 years old. In 2016, she became the first Somali-American Muslim legislator in the United States. ‘In love with democracy,’ Ilhan Omar draws diverse supporters in bid for Congress https://t.co/43oMmfRDbc pic.twitter.com/Lwu2kH3eCk — CALANKA MEDIA (@CALANKAMEDIA) November 2, 2018 Ayanna Pressley : U.S. Congress Massachusetts 7th District Pressley made history in 2009 as the first woman of color elected to the Boston City Council. She’s poised to become the first Black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts Here's what Ayanna Pressley's victory means for Black Boston… https://t.co/DAvmYRKle4 pic.twitter.com/ArDPvjXHLa — NewsOne (@newsone) September 5, 2018 Sean Shaw: Florida Attorney General Shaw is a first-term member of the Florida House from Tampa. The consumer insurance lawyer will become Florida’s first Black attorney general if elected. His father, Leander Shaw , was the state’s first African-Amerian chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court. Vote for Sean Shaw for Florida Attorney General! https://t.co/LuqRAOWodV pic.twitter.com/LSffNYxMLy — DPCF (@ProgressiveFL) November 1, 2018 Stephany Rose Spaulding: U.S. Congress Colorado 5th District The Rev. Dr. Spaulding is a newcomer to politics. She serves as a professor of women’s and ethnic studies and as the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Help Stephany Rose Spaulding, PhD, make history. Elect her as the 1st Dem ever for #CO05 @StephanyForCO will fight for all residents & areas: military, civilian, rural & urban Be A Voter by 11/6 https://t.co/y5EDPSzDFi https://t.co/LjzvEEocmC #Ally4US #FlipTheHouse pic.twitter.com/qCBTeCCyPz — Sophie Be a Blue Voter (@geekresister07) November 1, 2018 Lauren Underwood: U.S. Congress Illinois 14th District Underwood is a registered nurse and health policy expert who served as a senior adviser at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama . Lauren Underwood's unlikely campaign is all about health care https://t.co/hUmwbgxoSG — MorallyBankruptGOPMustGo (@WeChooseBoth18) November 2, 2018 Lavangelene “Vangie” Williams: U.S. Congress Virginia 1st District Williams is new to politics but has emerged as a powerful voice for the underserved working-class in her community, and she could make history as the first African-American to represent Virginia’s First Congressional District. #NOTheOne is giving shine to all the Black women currently owning the political space this season. Read Vangie Williams story and learn how she made history! https://t.co/hvrDqMnZ3U pic.twitter.com/sMUI4jfPvA — NewsOne (@newsone) September 27, 2018 SEE ALSO: The Power Of The Black Vote And How To Make Each One Count Watch: Drunk White Woman Who Racially Harasses Black Women Faces Consequences After Sobering Up [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3834782″ overlay=”true”]
Oliver Contreras – Pool/Getty Images Kanye West Steps Back From Politics It looks like Kanye West may have swum back from the deep end…or is at least doggy paddling his way back, slowly but surely. Remember when we told you that Kanye was out here designing specialty sunken shirts to encourage Black folks to leave the democratic party and start rocking his favorite MAGA hat? Well, Kanye now claims he had nothing to do with it. Furthermore, he claims he’s done with being a political puppet and now wants nothing to do with politics anymore. ‘Ye dusted off his Twitter account and put this out: I introduced Candace to the person who made the logo and they didn’t want their name on it so she used mine. I never wanted any association with Blexit. I have nothing to do with it. — ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018 Which his sunken neighbor Candace corroborated: #BLEXIT is about the beautiful stories of so many black people who have awakened themselves to the possibilities of our future, as Americans. The press is trying to use Kanye’s name to create drama and further divisiveness which is WRONG. Here is statement of clarity from me: pic.twitter.com/PJSdM2PRFi — Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) October 29, 2018 Finally, Kanye popped up with this — though he was careful to leave Trump’s actual name out of all of it: My eyes are now wide open and now realize I’ve been used to spread messages I don’t believe in. I am distancing myself from politics and completely focusing on being creative !!! — ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018 Hmmm. Is Kanye seeing the light after NOBODY wanted that latest Yeezy drop? Hit the flip for more of what Kanye says he TRULY believes… SplashNews/Oliver Contreras – Pool/Getty Images
Source: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / Getty Weeks ago social media was in an uproar watching Kanye West meet with Donald Trump at the White House. While there he spoke about loving Trump, jobs for prisoners after they’re released from jail as well as stop and frisk laws in Chicago. Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit Now, Kanye is speaking a different tune. According to TMZ , the rapper stated he’s being used by certain people to spread political messages that he doesn’t believe in. In a series of tweets he also mentioned that he’s staying away from Trump. SEE ALSO: Kanye West Designs T-Shirts Telling Black People to Ditch Democrats Kanye said on Twitter , “My eyes are now wide open and now realize I’ve been used to spread messages I don’t believe in. I am distancing myself from politics and completely focusing on being creative.” I support creating jobs and opportunities for people who need them the most, I support prison reform, I support common-sense gun laws that will make our world safer. — ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018 My eyes are now wide open and now realize I’ve been used to spread messages I don’t believe in. I am distancing myself from politics and completely focusing on being creative !!! — ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018 He also spoke about Candace Owens , who is an ultra-conservative. Owens talked about the Blexit [black exit from Democratic Party] t-shirts and said, “Blexit [black exit from Democratic Party] is a renaissance and I’m blessed to say that this logo, these colors, were created by my dear friend and fellow superhero — Kanye West.” In a tweet Kanye said, “I introduced Candace to the person who made the logo and they didn’t want their name on it so she used mine. I never wanted any association with Blexit. I have nothing to do with it.” I introduced Candace to the person who made the logo and they didn’t want their name on it so she used mine. I never wanted any association with Blexit. I have nothing to do with it. — ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018 SEE ALSO: Kanye West Gives $73K To Black Chicago Mayoral Candidate Lastly, in another tweet he thanked his family and friends for supporting him as well as his vision. We aren’t sure if Kanye will stick to these words he’s saying, but we’ll have to watch and wait. I would like to thank my family, loved ones, and community for supporting my ACTUAL beliefs and my vision for a better world. — ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018 See more photos of Kanye West below! ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM: Fright Night! Here’s The Costumes Your Favorite Celebs Rocked For Halloween In Joke Gone Horribly Wrong, Hillary Clinton Sarcastically Suggests All Black People ‘Look Alike’ [VIDEO] Fright Night! Here’s The Costumes Your Favorite Celebs Rocked For Halloween DJ Khaled Fails At His First Attempt At Crowd Surfing [VIDEO] [ione_media_gallery src=”https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com” id=”1947373″ overlay=”true”] Follow @TheRSMS
T he divider in chief, Donald Trump , took steps to widen the racial wedge between the Florida gubernatorial candidates by implying an education at a historically Black college or university ( HBCU ) was decidedly inferior to the Ivy League. The president made his ignorant statement in a tweet despite growing evidence that the Democratic candidate — Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum — has consistently displayed a far more superior ability to campaign based on fact and policy over his opponent, Republican Ron DeSantis . But of course, Trump never lets the facts get in between him and his Twitter fingers. In Florida there is a choice between a Harvard/Yale educated man named @RonDeSantisFL who has been a great Congressman and will be a great Governor – and a Dem who is a thief and who is Mayor of poorly run Tallahassee, said to be one of the most corrupt cities in the Country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2018 Gillum is a proud graduate of Florida A&M University, an HBCU. Nevermind the racist dog whistling in the tweet that was Trump calling Gillum “a thief,” an unsubstantiated charge from a president who routinely reinforces negative stereotypes about Black people. DeSantis has shown himself to be an unabashed racist, something that his alma maters Harvard and Yale universities can’t be proud of, no matter if the schools’ histories reflect otherwise (they do). Further, Gillum has twice upstaged DeSantis in both gubernatorial debates held last week, showing a masterful knowledge of policy compared to the racist attacks the Republican and his supporters have consistently resorted to. Trump’s tweet came less than a week after a report that he planned to make last-ditch pleas for votes for controversial GOP candidates. While Gillum has been consistently polling ahead of DeSantis, who resigned from Congress under a cloud of controversy stemming from a House ethics complaint against him , early voting reports in Florida have indicated not many Democrats were going to the polls, which could spell bad news for the mayor. But if the election is decided based on policy plans and not racial rhetoric — DeSantis and his supporters have made multiple “monkey” references about the Democrat who could become the Sunshine State’s first African-American governor — Gillum should emerge victorious, by far. As of early Monday afternoon, Gillum was reportedly ahead of DeSantis by either 1 or 5 percentage points, depending on the poll . While political polling has proven to be an inexact science (see the 2016 presidential election for more on this), polling in the state of Florida has been pretty consistent over the years, especially when it comes to the governor’s race. “Four years ago, Charlie Crist led Rick Scott in eight of the final 20 2014 gubernatorial race public polls, Rick Scott led in six, and six polls showed them tied,” the Tampa Bay Times reminded readers on Monday. “The final polling average showed Crist with by just .6 percentage points, and Scott won reelection by 1.1 percent.” SEE ALSO: Mail Bomber Targeted Andrew Gillum, Too Andrew Gillum Reportedly Has Trump Scrambling In Last-Ditch Move For DeSantis [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3833456″ overlay=”true”]
Source: GIANRIGO MARLETTA / Getty From Rickey Smiley Morning Show Authorities have arrested a man named Cesar Sayoc in connection to the suspicious packages believed to be explosive that were sent to CNN and politicians across the country, according to The New York Times . The arrest, which was made in Florida, comes after a 12th package addressed to James Clapper (former director of National Intelligence) was discovered this morning (October 26). He joined the list with the Obamas, the Clintons, Eric Holder, Cory Booker, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Maxine Waters and more. Cesar is a registered republican who was born in New York and has a long criminal history ranging from felony theft to fraud. He also a known Trump supporter. SEE ALSO: Everything To Know About Suspicious Packages Sent To Obama, Clinton & More CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
A ndrew Gillum was fighting off “smear tactics” and said he was ready to talk about the “issues” in the hours ahead of his Florida gubernatorial debate rematch against Republican Ron DeSantis on Wednesday night in West Palm Beach. READ MORE: 5 Takeaways From Andrew Gillum’s Masterful Debate Dismantling Of Ron DeSantis The Tallahassee mayor and Democratic nominee who could become the state’s first Black governor’s comments came in a tweet Wednesday morning that was likely in reference to the onslaught of Republican- and white nationalist-funded efforts like this week’s racist robocalls to voters. My opponent is trying to do everything he can to distract & use smear tactics—but the second debate is tonight & here’s what I’ll be ready to talk about: issues that Floridians care about. I’m running for governor to represent all of them & no distractions can change that. — Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) October 24, 2018 Some of that negative attention has included allegations of corruption against Gillum, who has been accused of inappropriately accepting free tickets to see a Broadway play in New York City in 2016. Gillum has denied the accusations and there have never been any criminal charges over the allegations. Still, debate viewers can expect for that topic to dominate the rematch early on considering the resurgence of the topic in the media. Another surefire bet for the debate is the topic of racism, something that has been steadily streaming out of DeSantis’ campaign since Gillum won the Democratic primary in August. The day after Gillum’s victory, DeSantis made it a point toll Florida voters not to “monkey up” the election by electing a Democrat (who happened to be Black). More apparent proof that DeSantis is at the very least a white supremacy sympathizer has been leaking along the way, culminating on Monday with a fresh round of racist robocalls that featured monkey sounds in the background. Even still, with all of that background noise trying to drown out the very loud racism associated with DeSantis, it would seem that Floridians remained more concerned with those same “issues” Gillum said he was ready to talk about in Wednesday’s debate than the conveniently timed political “distractions” that routinely come up in campaigns with national implications. As of Wednesday, the mayor was polling nearly 6 percentage points ahead of DeSantis, who exposed himself during the first debate Sunday as being more worried about attacking Gillum than with policy. Forget the polls — I don’t care about them. When we vote, we win! I’m ready for all of us to #BringItHome , Florida. pic.twitter.com/Mi2PqC0OH0 — Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) October 24, 2018 The second debate starts at 7 p.m. EDT and will be filmed on the campus of Broward College. It will be televised live across the state. Want to watch the debate but don’t live in Florida? Click here to live stream the debate via the WPBF website for the local ABC affiliate. If you happen to miss it live, you can watch it on CSPAN’s website at 10 p.m. EDT Wednesday night by clicking here . SEE ALSO: Ron DeSantis Actually Said Calling Obama A Muslim N-Word Was A Simple ‘Mistake’ White Supremacists Release Anti-Andrew Gillum Robocall Featuring Monkey Sounds [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3832778″ overlay=”true”]
I n a tight race to be Georgia’s next governor , an apparent Republican attempt to shame Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams for participating in the burning of Georgia’s racist flag back in college has backfired. Abrams, who would become the nation’s first Black woman governor if elected, defended her actions. See Also: 5 Things To Watch For In Georgia’s First Governor Debate Between Stacey Abrams And Brian Kemp An image from a 1992 Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper clip of the demonstration suddenly surfaced on social media on Monday night — the eve of Abrams’ first debate against her GOP rival Brian Kemp — the New York Times reported. When @staceyabrams was at @SpelmanCollege , the Georgia state flag still had the Confederate emblem in its design. She exercised her First Amendment rights by helping to burn it on the state capitol steps. Good for her. I’d have set that thing on fire, too. https://t.co/zOyZ2kHjFl — Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) October 23, 2018 The picture shows Abrams, during the end of her freshman year at Spelman College, burning the flag alongside two other African-American demonstrators. Abrams’ campaign confirmed to the Times that she indeed participated in the protest against the Confederate symbol on the flag. “During Stacey Abrams’ college years, Georgia was at a crossroads, struggling with how to overcome racially divisive issues, including symbols of the Confederacy, the sharpest of which was the inclusion of the Confederate emblem in the Georgia state flag,” a statement from the campaign read. “This conversation was sweeping across Georgia as numerous organizations, prominent leaders, and students engaged in the ultimately successful effort to change the flag.” Right. Georgia changed its state flag in order to emblazon it with the Confederate flag after Brown v. Board in order to send a message to its black citizens about what white leadership felt about their rights. Blk ATL mayors refused to fly it. So. Yeah. https://t.co/purCKgneij — Ida Bae Wells (@nhannahjones) October 23, 2018 The demonstration happened when then-governor Zell Miller made his first unsuccessful bid to remove the controversial Confederate symbol from the state flag, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Georgia’s last Democratic governor, Roy Barnes , successfully authorized a redesign of the flag in 2001—a move that contributed to his political defeat in 2002. Abrams’ opposition to Confederate symbols will likely become a debate topic on Tuesday night. Kemp has vowed to protect Confederate monuments. SEE ALSO: 5 Takeaways From Andrew Gillum’s Masterful Debate Dismantling Of Ron DeSantis Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court Dissent Paves The Way For A ‘Racist’ Census [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3832869″ overlay=”true”]
