Watch: Kim Klacik’s road to the Republican convention

By TheGrio Staff

·July 27, 2023

In this screenshot from the RNC’s livestream of the 2020 Republican National Convention, Maryland congressional nominee Kim Klacik addresses the virtual convention on August 24, 2020. (Photo Courtesy of the Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee via Getty Images)

Is there such a thing as disagreeing better? That’s what politicians on both sides of the aisle are calling for — an initiative that will promote solutions to polarization and feature governors showing how to disagree amicably through public debates and service projects. TheGrio host Marc Lamont Hill tried to unpack GOP goals for tackling polarization by talking to former Maryland Republican congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik.

After some initial banter, the conversation quickly got more serious.

How does each political party view the power of the Black voting base? That was one of the topics covered when Klacik talked about her decision to join the Republican Party.

Kimberly Klacik is shown in a screenshot from the RNC’s livestream of the 2020 Republican National Convention. The former congressional candidate from Maryland talked with theGrio’s Marc Lamont Hill this week about the political climate. (Photo: The Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee via Getty Images)

“I’ve been a Republican since 2009,” she told Hill. “Now, I also say that when it comes to the Republican Party not caring about the Black community, just think about what that looks like. You have the Democrat Party saying that they care. Meanwhile, they’re the reason the Black communities cannot thrive.”

A viral video Klacik released in 2020, entitled “Why Black Lives Don’t Matter to Democrats,” came up in the conversation. Hill pointed out the same can be said about the GOP. TheGrio host challenged Klacik on her qualifications and how much education a candidate needs.

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“No, I don’t have a college degree,” she said. “But guess what? 64 percent of Americans don’t have a college degree. So I speak the language of the general population when it comes to Baltimore City, in which I ran for office. You know how many people don’t have a college degree? 89 percent. And so, again, I relate. I’m relatable.”

After their interview, Klacik took the conversation to Twitter:

Today, I had an interesting discussion with @marclamonthill. He suggested my dropping out of college made me less qualified for office.

Aren’t millions w/degrees trying to convince themselves men can be women & begging for student loans to be taken care of by people like me?
— Kimberly Klacik (@kimKBaltimore) July 24, 2023

That’s where you are wrong, again. I was a full time director at a nonprofit assisting with workforce development for 8 years. I didn’t do radio, which I do full time, until a year after I ran for office. Seems you just didn’t know what my resume consists of.

Facts matter. https://t.co/kvnwt0sk7S

— Kimberly Klacik (@kimKBaltimore) July 25, 2023

Watch the full interview and see Kim and Marc’s exchange by tuning into “theGrio with Marc Lamont Hill” tonight and every weeknight at 7 pm ET on theGrio cable channel.

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