Obama makes pre-election day message to voters

Former President Obama on Monday issued a pre-election message to Americans ahead of Election Day. In a series of tweets, Obama noted that the “character of our country is on the ballot” and that this year’s midterms may be “the most important of our lifetimes.”. Read his messages below:

Tomorrow’s elections might be the most important of our lifetimes. The health care of millions is on the ballot. Making sure working families get a fair shake is on the ballot. The character of our country is on the ballot.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 5, 2018

When we've been at such crossroads before, Americans have made the right choice. Not because we sat back and waited for history to happen -- but because we marched, and mobilized, and voted. We made history happen.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 5, 2018

When you vote, you have the power to protect voting rights. To make sure our criminal justice system treats everyone equally under the law. To strengthen laws that protect women in the workplace from harassment – and make sure they’re paid equally.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 5, 2018

When you vote, you have the power to make it easier for a student to afford college, and harder for a disturbed person to shoot up a classroom. When you vote, you have the power to make sure a family keeps its health insurance.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 5, 2018

Michelle Obama calls on NAACP members to not only vote but to increase black voter turnout

In a video released on Saturday, the former first lady teamed up with the NAACP, the country's largest civil rights organization, in efforts to increase African-American voter turnout in the Nov. 6 midterm elections. Check out the video below.

Barack Obama aims to boost Wisconsin, Michigan Democratic turnout

Former President Barack Obama has appearances in Wisconsin and Michigan on Friday aimed at boosting turnout to aid Democrats, including black voters.

Low turnout in Milwaukee by African-Americans proved costly for Hillary Clinton in 2016 when she narrowly lost Wisconsin. One analysis found turnout fell nearly 20 points compared to Obama’s 2012 run.

It was much the same story in Detroit, and Clinton also lost Michigan.

Obama’s Friday appearance at a Milwaukee high school in a majority black neighborhood is aimed at helping Democratic candidates including U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Tony Evers, who is challenging Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

The former president will be in Michigan later Friday for an event at a Detroit high school.

[SOURCE: KTIV]

Black women candidates poised for major victories in November

Some of the most notable gains for women in this year’s election will come from black women. All three non-incumbent black women candidates favored to win on Election Day—Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.)—will be not only the first black women, but the first women of color, to represent their states in Congress. Omar will break another barrier in joining Rashida Tlaib as the first Muslim congresswomen, and Pressley’s win against a 10-term incumbent reflects how political success is not constrained to those who wait their turn.

Pressley’s victory, and the anticipated wins of Hayes and Omar, demonstrate another thing: the electoral viability of black women in political contexts where they are too often counted out. For Pressley, the doubts among political and party insiders have been great, meaning the investment in her primary candidacy was minimal to zero among those typically perceived as key influencers in U.S. elections. Jahana Hayes won the Democratic primary in Connecticut despite running without her party’s endorsement. Hayes and Omar also won nominations in majority-white districts, an important counter to those who have doubted the ability of black women to be successful outside of majority-minority districts or states.

But Black women’s political success did not just begin this year. Six of the seven Black women currently serving as mayors of the top 100 most populous cities in the United States have been sworn in since Election Day 2016. And while women’s and black men’s state legislative representation has plateaued in recent decades, black women have seen a steady—albeit slow—increase in representation in state legislatures nationwide. In Congress, while gains for women have been slow and incremental, the racial and ethnic diversity among women, particularly Democratic women, has grown in the past decade. In fact, nine of the 14 new women elected to the 115th Congress (2017-2019) were women of color.

Political scientist Wendy Smooth puts these successes for black women into context, writing, “African-American women appear to be overrepresented in elective office while simultaneously holding the characteristics that would make them least likely to be politically engaged,” such as lower levels of income and educational access. This “paradox of participation,” as she terms it, is also notable when the under-investment in black women as candidates is taken into account. What’s more, research from the Center for American Women and Politics survey of state legislators found that black women officeholders were more likely than their white counterparts to report being discouraged from running for office in the first place.

Read more: SOURCE: THE HILL

Eric Holder: ‘When They Go Low, We Kick ‘Em’

While speaking at an event for Georgia state House candidate Regina Lewis-Ward, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder spoke about his love and respect for former First Lady Michelle Obama. But after that he suggested that Democrats are playing too nice and being soft going into the upcoming mid-terms and flipped Michelle Obama's famous "When they go low, we go high" slogan around and said that "When they go low, we kick em".

Watch that video below:

BLACK VOTERS WANTED! NAACP TO TURN OUT THE BLACK VOTE LIKE OUR LIVES DEPEND ON IT

The morning of November 7, 2016 was a rude awakening for millions of Americans – 231, 556,622 Americans to be exact. This was the approximate number of eligible voters who did not vote in the presidential election. In fact, if each of these 230 million plus people collectively wrote in a hypothetical candidate’s name on a ballot, that candidate would have won the election by a landslide.

More alarming is the fact that Black voter turnout declined for the first time in 20 years in a presidential election after it had just peaked at 66% in 2012. Political pundits may have used the two years since the elections to argue and dissect what happened, but organizers knew what we needed to focus on was how to ensure it never happened again.

This go around, we’re doing things differently. NAACP has launched a civic engagement campaign to increase Black voter turnout, not just in the 2018 midterms, but in the years to come. The message behind this campaign is simple: Vote! Our lives depend on it.

At the genesis of this campaign is research. We talked to real people about real issues, and their very real concerns heading into the ballot box. Much of what’s happened over the last two years, both in federal policy and in day-to-day life, has resulted in the undervaluing of Black lives. The numerous #LivingWhileBlack incidents, the uptick in hate rallies, the attempted rescinding of DACA, the racist remarks spewing out of the White House, and even the Facebook hacks that pitted people of color against the rest of the country, have shown that this campaign is necessary to mobilize Black Americans.

In addition to investing funds into this campaign, as the leader and coalescing advocate for the Black community, NAACP is bringing together other social justice organizations to partner on this mission to register and turnout a record number of Black voters. NAACP has also expanded its civic engagement department to be one of the largest in the organization, and for the 2018 midterm elections, has identified six key states where the Black vote will make a particularly impactful difference: Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, each with a corresponding State Director or advisor for civic engagement.

Why did we pick these six states? Research. We looked at the political climate in the country, and we partnered with GSSA, LLC, a Colorado data analytics group, to pinpoint where we can make the most difference.

As it stands on November 6, Floridians will have a remarkable 12 initiatives to vote on, including one on the restoration of voting rights for felons. Georgia may or may not make history as the first state to elect the nation’s first Black female governor. In Michigan, a ballot initiative proposes automatic voter registration for all eligible voters in the state. North Carolinians will have the opportunity to vote on whether identification must be presented in order to vote – an initiative NAACP is adamantly against. Ohio and Pennsylvania, two states which played a critical role in electing President Trump, will have to reckon with their 2016 decision, and either vote along party lines or cause a seismic shift.

Over the next couple of weeks, our State Directors will be reporting back about their progress in these states. Stay tuned to our blog section to see how we’re turning out the Black vote.

Barack Obama endorses for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Former President Obama announced Monday he's endorsing progressive House candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D).

Obama issued his support for the former organizer for Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) presidential campaign in his second wave of endorsements related to the upcoming midterm elections.

Ocasio-Cortez has received widespread attention from lawmakers since her upset victory over longtime Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) in a June primary election.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

It's not a blue wave that's coming in the midterm elections — it's a black wave

But besides the blue wave roiling America, there is a very real black wave. And both political parties need to pay attention.

In one of the most historic election years in memory — besides the year a young U.S. senator from Chicago became the first African-American president and the year a pompous reality TV star and coddled businessman became the 45th — the American political landscape may drastically change.

Democrat Ayanna Pressley could become the first black female elected to Congress from Massachusetts.

Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams could become the first black female governor America has ever had.

Democrat Andrew Gillum could become the first black governor of Florida.

Democrat Ben Jealous could become the first black governor of Maryland by besting a popular Republican opponent. It’s a long shot, but most voters in Maryland are Democrats.

So while much has been made of the blue wave making its way across America, we better pay attention to the black wave.

But besides the blue wave roiling America, there is a very real black wave. And both the Democratic and Republican parties, which have been tone-deaf to the disdain many Americans feel for traditional politics, better wake up.

SOURCE: USA TODAY]

Jahana Hayes wins Democratic Primary

Jahana Hayes won the Democratic Primary in Connecticut's Fifth Congressional District, the A.P. reported. Ms. Hayes, a “National Teacher of the Year” in 2016, is seeking to become the state’s first black Democrat to serve in Congress.

Ms. Hayes, 46, was thought to be a long-shot in the contest against Mary Glassman, a longtime local Democratic politician in the Western Connecticut region. But she embraced her status as an underdog, melding her life story — growing up in Waterbury, Conn., she went through homelessness, a teen pregnancy and economic hardship — into her campaign.

She also won support from some of the same progressive organizations that supported insurgent progressive Democratic candidates like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who defeated Representative Joseph Crowley in a New York primary. Ms. Hayes will face the Republican Manny Santos.

[SOURCE: NYTIMES]

Democrat Tamara Harris is Running for Congress

This is the third part of a series that will focus on African Americans running for office in the U.S. Senate or The House of Representatives on November 6, 2018. A post about any candidate on African American Reports is not an endorsement of anyone unless otherwise stated. George L. Cook III African American Reports.

Tamara Harris is the Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District.

Tamara Harris is a family advocate who helps families heal when facing challenging circumstances. A mother herself, she coaches and advises clients and their children in the U.S. and internationally on strategies to become better champions for themselves and children, both in their personal and professional lives. Navigating family difficulties is not new to Tamara. In fact, that is one of the reasons she is running for Congress today.

Tamara witnessed first-hand the importance and hardships of healthcare. Her father, who in his younger years worked as a train porter, passed away after a protracted battle in his later years. During the course of his illness, his medical insurance became insufficient and he had to rely upon Medicare and his only daughter to fund his care. Tamara understands that while she was blessed with the ability to care for her father and was supported by many in that care, this is not the case for many families in New Jersey.

She has sat with mothers and students in social service organizations to help them advocate for their mental health or the mental health of their children. Tamara has mentored students in her capacity as an adjunct lecturer at Montclair State University and New York University. She has served in leadership positions for education organizations that assist low-income and minority students. This includes the United Negro College Fund and the New Jersey Advocates for Education, where she raised more than $1 million to fund merit and need based collegiate scholarships for students residing in cities within Essex County. She has also served on the advisory board of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson, and Union County in NJ.

Tamara is also an accomplished businesswoman who received her BA and MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. She previously worked for the Prudential Asset Management Group and she would later go on to have a successful career in international finance in the Hong Kong offices of Citigroup and Deutsche Bank. Her business career taught her the value of fostering innovation and creativity to solve problems.

Tamara has also been deeply involved in the democratic process supporting candidates and organizations at the county, state, and federal level. Now, after hearing from family, friends, colleagues and residents of New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District calling on her to serve, Tamara has decided to use her experience as a family advocate, philanthropist and problem solver to fix Washington.

After 22 years of ineffective representation, Tamara Harris will bring fresh and unique perspective to the way we approach important policy matters. She is running because the diverse peoples of NJ-11 need a representative that will be leader in Washington, not a follower. As she has done throughout her entire career, Tamara will fight to make sure that every New Jersey resident has an opportunity to thrive and will always put working and middle class families first.

Learn more about Tamara Harris' platform here: https://www.tamarafornj.com

Missouri State Legislator: Sen. McCaskill not engaging with black voters

Even though Sen. McCaskill's issues engaging black voters is taking place in Missouri, this should be a cautionary tale for all Democrats nationwide. Yes, you have to reach to and engage other bases that might not usually vote democratic but don't forget your base. Black voters are starting to feel taken for granted and while they won't vote Republican they just may stay home. George L. Cook III African American Reports.

African American leaders in Missouri are frustrated with what they see as Sen. Claire McCaskill’s lackluster engagement with minority voters.

Frustrated enough that they refused to sign a letter pushing back against comments made last month by Bruce Franks, a prominent black activist and state legislator from St. Louis, who called on McCaskill to “show up” and earn the support of minority voters in her state.

“I’m going to vote for Claire, but Claire is going to have to bring her ass to St. Louis,” Franks said to applause at a town hall he hosted Feb. 17.

In response to Franks comments, McCaskill had asked African American elected officials in Kansas City and St. Louis to sign the letter.

Among those who were approached by McCaskill are U.S. Reps. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City and Lacy Clay of St. Louis, and state Rep. Gail McCann Beatty, the minority leader in the Missouri House.

Each declined to sign.

“I’m 100 percent certain that nobody signed it,” Cleaver said in an interview Wednesday with The Kansas City Star. “We talked about it very seriously and strongly and every one of us said, ‘We’re going to support her, but signing this letter isn’t going to achieve what she wants. It’s just going to make people angry.’ ”

Cleaver said he’s sympathetic to McCaskill’s plight. She’s a Democrat running for re-election in a state Republican President Donald Trump won by nearly 19 points in 2016. He understands she must win over some right-leaning voters to survive.

But as McCaskill works to burnish her reputation as a centrist, Cleaver and other African American leaders said they worry she’ll leave minority voters on the left with the impression that she’s taking them for granted — and it could cost her turnout in the urban centers that are crucial to her base.

“The state is large and diverse, but she might need to take the campaign into the repair shop in the black communities,” Cleaver said. “I think if people see that she’s actually trying to win them over then I think it will be a benefit to her re-election.”

McCaskill’s campaign said she has a long record of standing with and fighting for Missouri’s African American community, starting with her time as a prosecutor and continuing with her work as a U.S. senator.

“Nothing has, or ever will, change that commitment,” said Meira Bernstein, McCaskill’s campaign spokeswoman, in a statement.

Read more: McCaskill asked black leaders to push back on criticism of her campaign. No one would.