Shannon: Right Messengers Can ‘Move The Needle’ With Minorities
Senate hopeful in Oklahoma: African-American voters are ready to support Republicans
BY JOEL GEHRKE
Oklahoma state Rep. T.W. Shannon, a Republican candidate to replace retiring Sen. Tom Coburn, believes that African-American voters are increasingly ready to vote for his party, describing that community as “fertile ground” for a conservative message.
Shannon, who is black and Native American, said he can “move the needle” in terms of convincing voters in those communities to support Republicans.
“I think those two groups have seen better than anybody what the onslaught of government dependency does and how it robs you of your dignity,” Shannon told the Washington Examiner. “I think those groups are the most fertile ground for going in and explaining how conservative values actually are what lead to prosperity. The problem is, we’ve had the wrong messengers doing that.”
That might be a shot at Mitt Romney, given Shannon’s ensuing emphasis on having a “common guy” lead that effort.