Republican Party Names African-American Advisory Committee

The Republican National Committee announced that it has formed an African-American Advisory Committee. Ken Mehlman, the RNC’s chairman, said the committee will meet monthly with RNC leaders to "provide a sounding board" for GOP efforts to attract more black voters. The Republican Party's effort to reach out to black voters includes a "Conversations With the Community" tour that began in February. The advisory committee includes former Rep. J.C. Watts (R-Okla.); Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele; Harry Alford, president of the National Black Chamber of Commerce; Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson; Bishop Keith Butler; and Ken Blackwell, Ohio Secretary of State. The GOP effort comes as a separate group of black religious and business leaders prepares to announce a "21st Century Mayflower Compact" to build Republican ties to blacks. To counter the GOP offensive, the Congressional Black Caucus recently launched its own outreach effort, focusing on black ministers.

Good to see more competition for black votes. To be effective, the GOP must: (1) target black cultural conservatives - who now mostly vote Democratic - in battleground states, instead of all black voters; (2) connect with grassroots efforts in black communities; (3) put out its message in media that black folks actually follow, so the Democratic Party doesn‘t define it; and (4) hammer the issues where GOP positions and significant black support converge.