Tuesday is the Democratic Primary for the Florida gubernatorial elections.
Janet Reno, of Miami, is the former United States Attorney General.
Bill McBride, of Tampa, is the former managing partner of Holland and Knight, the state’s largest law firm. Daryl Jones, of Miami, is a state senator, attorney, and investment banker.
The black democratic population must consider Reno, who has not directly made public her intentions for the black community or McBride, who recently gained an endorsement from Corrine Brown, a black U.S. Representative whose support is expected to help gain the votes of black voters and the working class. Then there is Daryll Jones, who many assume to be the winner of the black vote. He carries the weight of trying to become the first black governor of Florida.
For some the choice is clear. It is about time to put some brown flesh in the governor’s chair. However, there are some black democrats who have been followers of Janet Reno for years, like Jacksonville’s first black sheriff, Nat Glover.
Glover said Reno was one of the most sincere and honest people he knew.
If Glover were a Cuban from Miami those words might not have flowed from his mouth. Why? Elian.
Since Reno sent Elian Gonzalez packing back to Fidel Castro, her ties with the Hispanic community in South Florida have not been the peachiest. This will probably cost her the Hispanic votes.
The final choice for black democrats is Bill McBride, who has for some unknown reason gained the political support of a prominent black woman: Brown, who chose to support him rather than Reno, another prominent woman or Jones, a determined African-American leader.
Before we go running to the polls, blacks need to review several things. We must look at what we have in office – a Bush. Need I say more?
We need to remember Reno’s “betrayal” of her fellow Miami citizens. Third, we should carefully look at the fact that McBride is under scrutiny from the GOP because of his “poor” performance at his law firm and the way he avoids discussing his plans to pay for costly proposals.
We must look closely at Jones, the only black person in the race. He was not originally scheduled to participate in the only Democratic debate. His nomination for Secretary of the Air Force by former President Bill Clinton was rejected by a Republican-dominated Senate.
The choice is yours.
Just remember, before we go ranting and raving about no blacks being in office there are people like Brown and Glover who have decided that their own wasn’t good enough.
Whatever you decide is your right, but participate. Go out and vote. So if we don’t get what we want, then we still reserve the right to complain.
-Kanya Simon for the Editorial Board