With apologies to Richard Dawson and John O’Hurley, “Get ready, it’s time to play Democratic Party Family Feud.”
That’s what the upcoming May Primary will feel like in our community. A mixture of the dynamics of those families duking it out on the classic game show and an HBO fight, as Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton compete for our community’s votes in an election that could break turnout records.
In May’s Democratic primary, African-Americans will play a critical role. Overall, Indianapolis/Marion County’s registered voters comprise just 13.4 percent of the state’s total. Metro area voters are a quarter of the state’s voters.
The stats, though, are more stunning for Blacks as 41 percent of Indiana’s Black voters live in Indianapolis/Marion County. And adding the growing number of Black voters in the suburban counties adjacent to Indy (Hamilton, Hendricks and Hancock Counties) that percentage grows to just under 45 percent.
For the next two columns, I’m taking a critical look at the three main Family Feuds coming in the primary.
First up, the main event Obama/Clinton or is it Clinton/Obama.
There hasn’t been a wide-open contest among Indiana Democrats to determine their presidential candidate since 1968. In that classic primary, Sen. Bobby Kennedy dueled Sen. Eugene McCarthy, Governor Roger Branigin (a stand in first for President Lyndon Johnson and then for Vice-President Hubert Humphrey).
Kennedy won a plurality of the vote, 42 percent, in a tough contest earning his first primary win. Unlike today, past primary winners got all the delegates and Kennedy’s Hoosier victory created momentum for his California win a month later. A win cut short by Kennedy’s assassination election night.
This year, instead of a three way fight, it’s a battle between two history-making candidates.
A year ago, African-Americans here favored Clinton by a large margin. Even six months ago, Clinton would’ve been supported by a majority of Hoosier Blacks.
But after Obama began winning in white-majority states and was demonized by Clinton supporters (especially husband Bill, the former President), Black support for Obama metastasized into a solid bloc.
Obama’s huge support in Indianapolis’ African-American community gives him a strong advantage in May’s primary. Obama will carry Indianapolis/Marion County and Northwest Indiana where Obama’s very familiar. From that base, Obama could take the state.
Clinton, though, could replicate her strength among blue collar white voters and older white women. Those two voter groups could propel her to wins in South Bend, Fort Wayne and parts of Southern Indiana.
Indiana is competitive, and right now Obama’s probably slightly favored, based on the strength of Black voters, who while just 9 percent of the state’s voter total, make up a larger percentage of Democratic primary voters.
The huge expected turnout for the Democratic Primary is good news for another Family Feud, the contest to choose who faces off against Gov. Mitch Daniels in November.
Among African-Americans, the race is literally wide open between architect Jim Schellinger and former Congresswoman and Clinton appointee Jill Long Thompson. The reason the contest is wide open is that most Hoosier Democrats, including Blacks, don’t have a clue who Schellinger and Long Thompson are and where they stand on the issues.
Both candidates have been virtually invisible in the state’s largest Black community. Oh, they’ve made appearances at Expo and the Classic. I’ve interviewed them several times on our Afternoons with Amos radio program. But the mass of Black voters doesn’t have a feeling on which one to vote for to face Daniels.
The huge turnout for the Obama/Clinton battle could impact the Governor primary. Women will comprise a large percentage of primary voters. White women, who overwhelmingly support Hillary Clinton could continue that sisterly feeling and vote for Long Thompson, the first serious Democratic woman governor candidate. Black women, who overwhemingly support Barack Obama, could also decide that Long Thompson is the woman they’ll vote for.
Schellinger, the non-politician, is somewhat ill-cast in the Obama-like role in this campaign. While white (and perhaps Black) women will probably go with their sister, I’m having trouble wondering where Schellinger gets his support. Blacks don’t know him. Neither do most other rank and file Democrats.
And while Schellinger began his media blitz Tuesday, just running TV ads doesn’t garner support and strength from Black voters. Even more disconcerting, every poll released in this race has shown Long Thompson comfortably ahead of Schlesinger.
If Schellinger doesn’t do something fast (like next week) to get his name out into the Black community and give Black voters reasons to make him the candidate to fight a resurgent Mitch Daniels, Schellinger’s liable to lose behind a torrent of female voters (Clinton and Obama supporters) voting for the other woman on the ballot — Jill Long Thompson.
What I’m Hearing in the Streets
When I think about the passing of Judge Z. Mae Jimison, I can only imagine her entry into Heaven, meeting Thurgood Marshall, Oliver Wendell Holmes and other great jurists. She may not have been a Supreme Court Justice, but Z. Mae Jimison practiced supreme justice everyday she sat on a Marion County judicial bench.
Judge Jimison died last week after a too short career as one of the most compassionate and wisest individuals ever to preside over a Marion County courtroom.
The first African-American woman judge in Marion County, Judge Jimison wasn’t popular with prosecutors because she truly delivered real justice from the bench.
Besides serving as a judge, Z. Mae Jimison served four years as a member of the City-County Council. Then she made history again in 1995, as the first Black to run as a major party candidate for Indianapolis Mayor. Against Steve Goldsmith’s millions, she gave him a tough race, planting the seeds for Goldsmith’s loss in the Governor’s race in 1996.
Judge Jimison blossomed in 1998 when she was elected to the Superior Court and created our county’s first drug court, a court built on the premise of compassion. It’s an idea gaining credence in jurisprudence today.
Zilthia (I never knew that until she died) Mae Jimison was truly a lioness of our African-American community. Not only will she be missed, so will her great cooking. She never did an interview without bringing some baked goods for us media to eat.
My deepest sympathies to Z. Mae Jimison’s family, with the thanks of our community for sharing her with us. I know she’s at peace, in God’s Court House, making cookies and chicken for His Heavenly Hosts.
Thanks, Z. Mae…
See ‘ya next week!
Amos Brown’s opinions are not necessarily those of the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. You can contact him at (317) 221-0915 or by e-mail at ACBROWN@AOL.COM.
