Black GOP opportunism: Why Stacey Dash's Romney endorsement struck a chord

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Think of former Democratic congressman turned Republican convention speaker Artur Davis. In just four short years, Davis went from enthusiastically supporting the candidacy of Barack Obama to denouncing the president on stage at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida. What happened in between? He lost his bid for governor of Alabama in 2010, running as a Democrat, and has found little room for career advancement in the Democratic party since. He has, however, explored a possible run at another congressional seat, this time in Virginia, but his best hope would be to run as a Republican. His actual politics haven’t changed, as Davis was also a fairly conservative Democrat, but his career ambition and possibilities have, and there is simply more on offer by switching to the Republican party.

Don’t think so? Look at the case of Herman Cain. The former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza ran a farce of a presidential campaign, but his personal brand is worth more than it has ever been. Running for president not only netted him a book deal, which was widely suspected to be his motivation for campaigning, but he has new radio contract, and those speaking fees that he once bragged about not raising are sure to go up. If done correctly, being a black Republican can be a lucrative venture.

This is a party desperate to shed the image it is hostile to people of color. What better way than embracing and rewarding the few who are willing to publicly declare their affiliation to said party?

It’s the only reason Alan Keyes’ name is ever relevant. Republicans/conservatives have a diversity issue, and in order to combat the perception they do not care about communities of color, they over-saturate the market with the dozen or so willing to become public figures. And they pay handsomely.

It’s a cynical thought, but is it not a little strange that we haven’t heard from Dash since she departed Single Ladies, and only now, during the Clueless reunion put together by Entertainment Weekly, she’s chosen to jump into the political fray? It’s her right, of course, as a citizen of this country to express her views, but when she offers an explanation as vague as “I want the next four years to be different,” as she did on CNN, is it not also a bit suspicious?

Maybe she has been politically conservative her entire life and we just haven’t known because no one has bothered to ask. That’s fine. But knowing what we know about how profitable it can be to a person of color to identify as a Republican, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that we’re all getting played.

But really, it doesn’t matter. Not even a little bit.

Follow Mychal Denzel Smith on Twitter at @mychalsmith