Will Three African American Gubernatorial Candidates Make History in November?

The midterm elections may yield three African American governors, rewriting American history and giving Democrats in Georgia, Florida, and Maryland a major boost at the halfway mark in a Trump administration.

“I think it’s a unique time in our history when we have three Black major party candidates for Governor,” says Dr. Ray Winbush, Director of the Institute of Urban Research at Morgan State University.

In Georgia Stacey Abrams, the former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, is in a close gubernatorial race against Republican Brian Kemp, who is the Secretary of State. The latest polls show Kemp with a narrow two-point lead.

Tallahassee’s mayor, Andrew Gillum, is locked in a gubernatorial battle that is too close to call with Republican nominee Ron DeSantis. And, former NAACP President, Ben Jealous, is mounting a fierce challenge in Maryland against incumbent Republican Governor Larry Hogan.

“Ben Jealous is an excellent organizer,” Winbush says. “He’s a much better organizer than the Republican candidate.” But, a recent article suggests that what Hogan lacks in organization, he makes up for with money.

Winbush describes Maryland politics as “weird” given the propensity of some Black voters to support moderate Republicans.

He says, “Maryland has the highest number of Black state legislators in the nation, and they are somewhat middle of the road conservatives. Ben came out of nowhere and beat everybody, and the Black conservatives said, ‘Oh, my goodness, my guy didn’t win.’”

According to Winbush, some conservatives may decide to back Hogan, Republican incumbent. “They’ve been fooled that since he’s anti-Trump, they think he’s pro-Black…and Ben Jealous is trying to capitalize on that. His good friend, comedian Dave Chappelle, has been here, and they’ve been all over the place. They spoke at Morgan State.”

In the Florida Governor’s race, Andrew Gillum, a native son of the Sunshine State, is positioned to make history.

“Gillum has been canvassing and working to expand the electorate,” says Mondale Robinson, a political consultant. “Expanding the electorate means reaching out to more than just the regular voters. He’s talking with young voters, sporadic voters and newly registered voters.”

According to Robinson, Florida’s Amendment 4 which would restore voting rights to more than 1.4 felons is generating excitement that could galvanize voter turnout on November 6. A high turnout may very well benefit Gillum who was born in southern Florida, raised in the northern part of the state and is the mayor of Tallahassee, located in western Florida.

And, then there is the anti-Trump sentiment that may drive Democrats to the polls in droves.

He adds, “The energy around progressive politics and the backlash and disgust that the left feels about Trump’s presidency will also drive voters to the polls in record numbers.”

Winbush is also watching the more liberal wing of the Democratic party.

“If the Democratic party doesn’t go more to its roots, which is more to the left of center, it’s going to keep losing,” says Winbush, a research professor. “They need to go back to their roots: die-hard Black Democrats…left of center Labor…they’re abandoning them. [Republican] Karl Rove said his goal was to get a permanent ruling majority in this country, and he’s on track to do that.”

Georgia’s Republican Governor, Nathan Deal, is term-limited and can’t run for a third consecutive term. Democrat Stacey Abrams is the first African American woman selected as a major party nominee in a gubernatorial race, and she and her Republican opponent, Brian Kemp, are deadlocked.

“We have an obligation in these days to speak truth to power,” Abrams, a Yale-educated lawyer, said during a reception in Arkansas during the summer. Abrams is embracing a progressive agenda that’s resonated with voters. But, Democrats are cautious, recalling 2014 when their nominee ran a tight race against Deal only to see the Republican pull ahead in the final days of the campaign.

The three races are being followed closely. President Barack Obama endorsed all three of the African American candidates. With only about a month left until election day, the remaining weeks are crucial in races too close to call and for candidates with the collective hopes of an entire race attached to their success.