November 1, 2010
The Midterm Elections: Rep. Kendrick Meek, Gov. Deval Patrick & Allen West
To help you be informed and prepared when you go to cast your vote tomorrow, Black Enterprise will highlight important races with African American candidates across the country. We tell you where the candidates stand, why the race matters, who their opponent is, what the key issues are and their chances of winning.
Candidate: Rep. Kendrick Meek
Opponents: Republican-turned-Independent Gov. Charlie Crist; Former Republican House Marco Rubio
Key issues: Florida’s education system, Wall Street reform, and protecting the middle class
Why the race matters: If successful, Meek–who is giving up a safe House seat, which he took over when his mother retired in 2004 for this bid–could become one of two black senators elected to the upper chamber this year.
Constituency: The state’s voting population is majority white, with almost equal proportion of Hispanics and blacks. In the 2008 election, each demographic had high turnout, at 63.6%, 54.5% and 67.9%, respectively.
Financing : Meek reported net receipts of $7,597,314 as of 10/13/10. During that same period, Crist reported $13,385,804 in net receipts, and Rubio reported $18,251,722.
Political support: President Barack Obama; Bill Clinton; members of Florida’s congressional delegation and the Hispanic Congressional Caucus; the Miami Herald, Palm Beach Post, and other newspapers; and several unions, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Florida Service Employees International Union, and the Florida AFL-CIO
Chances of winning: It’s all downhill for Meek. Crist is dividing the Democratic vote and conservative enthusiasm at an all-time high; Rubio is favored to win.