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OWOSSO, MI Fewer than 10 Black Republicans have ever been elected to state-level positions in Michigans history, something a growing pool of Black Republican candidates are looking to change in 2022.

Gubernatorial candidates James Craig, Austin Chenge and Articia Bomer, Trump-endorsed Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo and Daylen Howard, a 26-year-old resident of Shiawassee County running for a state House seat, are all vying for positions that could make them next.

But as they mount conservative campaigns theyre up against history: for close to a century, Democrats have been the party to elect most of the states Black lawmakers.

The voting pattern has become engrained, according to Wayne Bradley, the former director of African American engagement for the Michigan Republican Party.

Big cities historically led by Democrats produce other Democrats from those cities, making it a challenge to establish a grassroots Republican base. But that doesnt mean there arent Black conservatives living in those cities, Bradley said.

Theres no one there to kind inspire and guide people through the processes, Bradley said. I think the biggest thing is that Republican parties in general have not invested enough in urban communities where you can have these candidates. The ones that do win are typically outside of urban districts.

Howard, who is running in a rural district he grew up in, said those areas get pigeonholed as well.

If you watch the typical news when you talk about rural communities, that is where they would say racists mostly reside, which is not my experience whatsoever, Howard said.

The handful of Black Republicans running for office in Michigan this year will put conventional political wisdom to the test.

Historically, Michigan has elected few Black Republicans

Michigan has elected just three Black Republicans in the last 20 years: Former Sen. Bill Hardiman, who represented the Grand Rapids area from 2003 to 2011; Larry Deshazor, who represented the Grand Rapids area from 2008-2011; and Paul Scott, the former House member elected in 2008 who was the first Michigan state legislator to be recalled since 1983.

Going even further back, a Library of Michigan search for Black lawmakers returns five results: William Webb Ferguson, the first Black man ever elected as a state lawmaker in 1893; Charles Curtiss Phillips, elected to the state Senate in 1899, and served for just one year; Joseph H. Dickinson, a Michigan House member from 1897-1900; Charles Roxborough, Michigans first Black state Senator in 1930; and former Sen. Bill Hardiman in 2002 who represented the Grand Rapids area for eight years.

William Webb Ferguson was Michigans first Black lawmaker, elected to the state House in 1894 as Southern American states began deploying literacy and understanding tests to disenfranchise black citizens in the years leading up to the Jim Crow era, which barred Black people from holding office. A portrait of Ferguson has been hanging in the Michigan State Capitol since 2018.

Both Ferguson and Charles A. Roxborough, who became Michigans first Black state Senator in 1930, were Republicans at a time when the party was known as the party of Civil Rights.

Shortly afterward, Black voters nationwide began leaving the Republican Party due to the perception that Democratic organizations better represented their interests. As a result, Michigan, mirrors the rest of the country electing far more Black Democrats.

Today, there are 20 Black Democratic state lawmakers serving throughout both chambers. Democratic Lieutenant Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II became the states first Black lieutenant governor in 2018.

Charles C. Diggs was elected to the state House in 1941, the same time that fellow Democrat Horace A. White won a seat in the House of Representatives. It was the first time in state history two African Americans served simultaneously in the Michigan Legislature.

A decade later, in 1951, Diggs son Charles Diggs was the first African American to be elected to Congress by the state.

He received national attention for being the only congressman to attend the trial of Emmitt Till, a Black teenager who was murdered. Despite being a member of Congress, Diggs received Jim Crow treatment in the Mississippi courtroom as he was ordered by the sheriff to sit at a small table with Black reporters.

Black Democrats have flourished in Michigan since the federal Voting Rights Act, which required the creation of districts with a majority of Black or other minority racial or ethnic group voters in places where the white population has a history of preventing them from electing their chosen representatives.

But in the modern era of Americas political parties, electing Black Republicans has been almost unheard of. Michigan is one of many states to have never elected a Black Republican to Congress.

John James was Michigans most recent high profile Black Republican candidate, losing to Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, in what was a closely-watched 2019 Senate race. James would have been Michigans first Black Republican Senator and the countys ninth Black Senator since the 1940s had he defeated Peters.

Like many Black Republican candidates before him, James didnt focus on race during his run for office, but also displayed an understanding of its impact on the country that white Republicans typically do not.

Can Republicans win over Black voters?

Its going to take more than holding strong traditional conservative positions to win over Black votes in urban areas, says Bradley, who after leaving the party consulted for James campaign and former Attorney General Bill Schuette. Republicans will need to appeal to suburban and some urban voters, too, he said.

He doesnt question whether its leadership is committed to making an impact with urban voters. But he does think candidates need to do a better job of working with some of the communities they call on for support.

A lot of it comes down to being there, Bradley said. You cant ask people to support you when youre doing it from an ivory tower, you have to go and talk to the folks. Because most of our elected officials arent from that community, thats not their responsibility, so to say, and thats where Black folks like myself, other Black conservatives can come in and talk about those issues.

Bradley said that in order for Black Republicans to earn the trust of Black communities, candidates need to show that theyre able to stand up to positions held by their party they dont agree with. Black candidates cant just be essentially a blank check for whatever Republicans want to talk about, he said.

Bradley, a lifetime member of Detroits NAACP branch disagrees with some ideas currently held by much of the Republican base, like voter fraud or support for a future Trump presidential run. But he has no plans on giving up his support for conservative Republican candidates who reflect his values, and says he sees James Craig as the Republican primary favorite.

If Black Republicans want to win statewide races, theyre going to have to appeal to urban voters, Bradley said.

Most Republicans Im not going to say everyone is like that are looking for the person who best represents their values, Bradley said. A lot of these guys... theyre transmitting the values of the Republican Party and they just happen to be Black. Most white Republicans dont look at Black politicians and say Oh, hes the Black guy, they think hes the right guy.

If youre representing their values, most Republican voters dont care about what color you are, argues former state Rep. Larry Deshazor.

People knew me, so me being Black was only an issue to the far right and the far left because they didnt know how to handle that, Deshazor told MLive in a phone interview.

Deshazor, who now lives in Texas part-time had served Portage city council in Kalamazoo County before serving in the Michigan Legislature from 2009-2011.

He was elected by a mostly white district representing the city of Portage, Texas Township, Kalamazoo Township and part of Kalamazoo.

People were surprised that I was a Republican, but folks who really knew me say Im an independent, I didnt go with the status quo, Deshazor said.

People assume African Americans are Democrats, he said, but there are a lot of African Americans that are independent, conservative, Republican that are just in the closet. They dont want to be chastised by their own people.

Deshazor said that greater priorities like just figuring out how to make a living, have hindered Black conservatives from organizing successfully in the last decades. However, today, he thinks Black Americans are moving toward a more independent way of thinking that more closely aligns with the Republican Party.

I think African Americans are starting to think more and more about where they align in a socio-economic spectrum and more and more are thinking, Hey, wait a minute, I dont necessarily agree with everything the Democratic Party is all about, Deshazor said. As an African American youre always going to get some resistance a little bit. Youre going to get people who question you on certain issues... But you just stick to the work at hand, youll be fine.

Here are the five Black Republican candidates running in 2022:

James Craig, gubernatorial candidate

Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig speaks at a relocated press conference announcing his candidacy for governor at 200 Walker St. in Detroit on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021. Craig's originally planned press conference on Belle Isle was interrupted by a Detroit Will Breathe protest, causing him to quickly announce his candidacy over a microphone before leaving for a second event on private property.Jacob Hamilton | The Ann Arbor News

Craigs background in leadership hasnt centered around politics, but law enforcement. He became the first Black police chief of the city of Cincinnati in 2011 before returning to Detroit.

Craig became a guest on conservative TV channels to espouse pro-police messages at a time when Michigan cities protested police violence following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, choked to death by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

His experience leading, he said, prepares him to be the CEO of Michigan. During his campaign Craig, 65, has spoken with business owners and charter school leaders about issues facing Michiganders.

I am a proven leader who refuses to be boxed in by the color of my skin or partisan affiliation, Craig told reporters at his second Detroit press conference, moved across the river after protestors interrupted his initial attempt to announce at a public park on Belle Isle.

Should Craig win the Republican primary and defeat Gov. Whitmer, he would become Michigans first Black governor.

Articia Bomer, gubernatorial candidate

Articia Bomer is running for Michigan governor as a Republican.

Bomer is also a Black Detroiter running for governor as a Republican.

An election worker at Detroits TCF Center for the November 2020 presidential election, Bomer whole-heartedly believes in the false theory that Democrats cheated to elect President Joe Biden. Joe Biden won Michigan by 154,000 votes and theres no credible evidence to believe otherwise.

Bomer is a Second Amendment advocate and says she was wrongfully accused of a gun charge.

She faces a crowded field of Republican candidates vying for their partys primary nomination but would become Michigans third woman and first Black woman if elected governor.

Austin Chenge, gubernatorial candidate

Austin Chenge is a Republican running for governor of Michigan.

Grand Rapids business owner Austin Chenge, 36, is running for governor and has made headlines for his controversial social media posts that include messages like the proposal to end Black History Month and his support for Jan. 6 rioters.

His Instagram page is filled with memes containing conservative messages opposing anti-mask mandates, immigration or showing support for national causes like the defense of Kyle Rittenhouse.

We all have a son like Kyle, young, brave & innocent... Chenge said in the caption of a post.

Chenge was the first Republican candidate for governor for the 2022 election when he filed to run in March 2020.

Hes a Christian who has no background in politics, but the spirit led me that when even when youre a nobody, just like David, God can lift you up to fight for the people, he told MLive in September.

Chenge says hes spoken to voters in every county in Michigan as part of his campaign.

Im the first candidate in more than 30 to 40 years to do that, Chenge said. ...I want people to know that in order to lead, really, you have to connect with people. Its not about making deals and acting like youve already won the primaries.

Kristina Karamo, Secretary of State candidate

Kristina Karamo, Republican candidate for Secretary of State, speaks as several hundred demonstrators gather for a rally Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021 outside Michigans Capitol in Lansing, demanding an additional investigation into 2020 election results. Conservative activists announced a petition initiative aimed at changing state law on post-election audits. The Republican-led Legislature has not acted on demands for a forensic audit from supporters of former President Donald Trump who believe the results were tainted by fraud. (Jake May | MLive.com)Jake May

Facing an uphill battle against incumbent Jocelyn Benson and other Republican candidates, Karamo would be the states first Black Republican Secretary of State.

Read more: Trump-endorsed Kristina Karamo leads fundraising among Republican SOS candidates, but trails Benson

Karamo reported receiving the most contributions of any Republican candidate running for Secretary of State during the latest campaign reporting period, raising $99,042.

Karamos campaign reports spending $30,765 and has $116,886 in cash on hand as she reported an ending balance of $48,942 on her last report filed.

Much of her expenditures have gone toward strategic consulting, online fundraising and billboard advertisements, reports show.

This is Karamos first campaign for statewide office in Michigan. She got a boost in September when former President Donald Trump endorsed her.

In a statement, Trump reiterated false claims surrounding Michigans election, asking Karamo to check out the city of Detroits election results.

She is strong on Crime, including the massive Crime of Election Fraud. Kristina will fight for you like no other, and of equal importance, she will fight for justice, Trump said. Good luck Kristina, and while youre at it, check out the Fake Election results that took place in the city of Detroit.

Michigan elected its first and only Black Secretary of State in 1971 when Richard H. Austin took over the position and served for 24 years. Austin was the first Black person to be elected to any statewide office in Michigan except the Supreme Court, and was also the first Black certified public accountant in Michigan. He served from 1967 to 1971 as the first Black Wayne County auditor.

Daylen Howard, House of Representatives candidate

Daylen Howard is running to be elected to the Michigan House in the state's current 85th District.

Daylen Howard is a 26-year-old Owosso resident gunning for the seat held by Rep. Ben Federick, R-Owosso, who is currently serving his final term.

He holds traditional conservative Republican small-government positions, is against Critical Race Theory in schools and said that in an interview with MLive that he never experienced true racism, growing up in Owosso.

Howard, who has worked in the jewelry industry since leaving college, formed a campaign committee back in June to run for the 85th District House seat, which represents his hometown Owosso, the cities of Corunna, Ovid and Bennington Township in Shiawassee County.

About 90,000 people live in the district, and 93% of them are white. Howard is part of the 0.4% of Black residents that live in the area that stretches from just north of Lansing, nearly reaching Midland County to the south.

He said he hopes his campaign inspires young Black conservatives to know they dont have to be Democratic to have a future in politics.

Theres many times in my life when I have been called an Uncle Tom just because of what my views are, Howard said. I think the way people vote has a lot less to do with race than we think it does. Its about values

Howard is the son of his white mother and Black father, and grew up in a single-parent household for 16 years before his mom met Howards step-father.

He would become the fifth Black Republican to ever be elected to the Michigan House if elected.

Link:
Michigan hasnt elected many Black Republicans. These candidates running in 2022 could change that. - mlive.com