Democrats hit for lack of black candidates

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Black business owners and religious leaders say there is an undercurrent of discontent with the Maryland Democratic Party's lack of black statewide candidates and think it will encourage support for Republicans -- especially Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele's run for the U.S. Senate.

"There's a lot of nervousness. You got a whole lot of black folks who are going to move towards Steele and possibly [Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.]," said Wayne Frazier, a black business leader in Baltimore and a supporter of Mr. Steele's opponent, Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin.

The Rev. Grainger Browning Jr., pastor of the 10,000 member Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Fort Washington, said: "The Democratic Party does have a challenge now to show that it wants to make sure the African-American leadership is included in decision making."

The Baltimore Sun yesterday reported that Maryland's 10 black state senators met last week with Mr. Cardin and Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, the Democratic nominee for governor, to register complaints that the party's top candidates for statewide office are white men.

The black senators, dubbed the "Committee of Ten," told Mr. Cardin and Mr. O'Malley, who are both white, that they are hearing about discontent among their constituents over the party's lack of diversity.

The group also met with Terry Lierman, chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party.

"There's a hue and cry out there of disillusionment based on what happened in the primary," said state Sen. Joan Carter Conway, Baltimore Democrat.

In the Democratic Senate primary, Mr. Cardin defeated Kweisi Mfume, former president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, after having received strong support from House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer and state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., both white.

However, Mr. Mfume trounced Mr. Cardin in the majority black voting districts of Prince George's County and Baltimore, which will figure large in next month's general elections.

Mr. Mfume got 74,637 votes in Prince George's County, compared to Mr. Cardin's 19,824 votes, according to the State Board of Elections. In Baltimore, Mr. Mfume won 52,335 votes and Mr. Cardin 25,051.