Along with the usual pablum trying to dissect the reasons why and who to blame for another Democratic Party ‘shellacking’ in the 2014 midterm elections—an ultimately unsatisfying bit of penis paddling, there is another story of interest underneath—the election and coming of political age of Congresswoman Mia Love, the former mayor of Sarotoga Springs, Utah. Love is African American, married to a Caucasian gentleman, the mother of three bi-racial children, and a member of the Mormon Church. She is also a dyed-in-the-wool Republican, and not a shrinking violet. She intends to be heard in Congress, but hopefully not like former congressman Allen West of Florida, nor like current congresswoman Michelle Bachman. Political dignity and circumspection would become her.
One of the first compelling issues she will face in Washington, will be rather or not to join the Congressional Black Caucus. In the past, there have been a few Black congressional Republicans—six in all, including two Black U.S. Senators. Edward Brooke of Massachusetts, still in office when the CBC was formed in 1969 (as the Democratic Select Committee—the name was changed to the CBC in 1971), refused to join, as did Senator Tim Scott, specially appointed senator from South Carolina in 2013. The other five Black U.S. Senators since 1970, all Democrats—Carol Mosely Braun (Ill.), Mo Cowan (Mass.), Roland Burris (Ill.), Barack Obama (Ill.), and current U.S. Senator Cory Booker (NJ)—did all become CBC members.
Although the six previous Black Republican members of Congress also included former representatives Gary Franks (Conn.), J.C. Watts (Okla.), Allen West (Fla.), Delegate Mel Evans (V.I.), Tim Scott and Edward Brooke, the only sustained Black Republican membership of the CBC was former congressman West from 2010 to his re-election defeat in 2012. Although regularly enjoying re-election, Watts refused to join and Franks, who did join during his three terms, was essentially ejected from the CBC as a Republican spy. Will there be a Black female Republican voice on the CBC in 2015?
As the seventh Black Republican member elected or appointed to Congress since the 1970s, Love’s perspective may be very valuable to the CBC within the context of Republican control over both houses of Congress for at least the next two years. House Republicans have already tried to defund and close down the CBC in the 1990s, and there is every reason to believe they will try again. Mrs. Love’s membership in the CBC may be a bulwark against such an effort, if she indeed consents to join the long-standing group. The CBC may need to court her involvement.
When a White congressman from Tennessee, Steve Cohen, was elected from a majority Black district in 2006, and tried to join the CBC, the members denied his application, saying the CBC needed to be exclusively Black. The other history of Black Republicans and the CBC summarized above, and this racial factor—given Love’s very close relationship with Whites—may all become a major stumbling block for both sides, but for the sake of progressive political development by the CBC for the next few years, it would be exceedingly prudent for both sides to give careful consideration to a political marriage of convenience. For the people, we can only hope for that kind of mutually fruitful decision.
Let’s get it on. These are the cards we’ve been dealt.
Professor David L. Horne is founder and executive director of PAPPEI, the Pan African Public Policy and Ethical Institute, which is a new 501(c)(3) pending community-based organization or non-governmental organization (NGO). It is the stepparent organization for the California Black Think Tank which still operates and which meets every fourth Friday.
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