GOP outreach to African-American voters will take more than talk

VIDEO - The Republican party loves to remind voters that it is “the party of Lincoln”–but in the most recent election, only 6 percent of African-American voters cast their ballots for the GOP’s Mitt Romney...

joyannreid

Apr 3, 2013

The Republican party loves to remind voters that it is “the party of Lincoln”–but in the most recent election, only 6 percent of African-American voters cast their ballots for the GOP’s Mitt Romney. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Preibus, determined to overcome that deficit, has launched a $10 million minority outreach campaign, including a tour of urban centers that brought him to the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn last month.

“Today is about listening, today is a start. I’m not coming here with all the answers, but I am coming here with an open heart, an open mind,” Priebus said. “Only time will tell if this is just talk, but all I can tell you is what’s in my heart and what our desire is as a party.”

Fellow Republican and leader of that church Reverend A.R. Bernard, who joined Priebus there, believes Priebus’ desire to bridge the gap is genuine. ”Having met and spoken with Reince Priebus that he’s sincere,” he said on Tuesday’s PoliticsNation. “But… it’s going to take time.”

“I think the Republican party has to think more than just re-branding, it has to rethink its message and its policies,” he said, pointing out that government services are important to people in urban and suburban “concentrated areas.” Rev. Bernard thinks a message of lower taxes, rather than one of cutting programs, could help the GOP more.

Read the rest at Politics Nation.