Why are Republican candidates afraid of black people?
Following a page from the national GOP playbook, nearly all of the Republican gubernatorial candidates refused to show up Saturday for the NAACP debate. African-Americans make up more than 20 percent of North Carolina’s population. Republicans would rather ignore 1.1 million African-American voters than address concerns about education, health care, jobs, and safe communities. Republicans have no trouble pandering to special interests. But they can’t look black voters in the eye and tell them they will govern for all people, not just those who look like them. Then Republicans complain that black people won’t vote for them. Maybe it’s because a Republican redistricting lawsuit threatens to pack minorities in districts and dilute their vote and representation in the General Assembly. Maybe it’s because Republican State Auditor Les Merritt trumped up unsubstantiated cases of voter fraud to stop legislation making it easier for people to vote. Maybe it’s because Republicans favor harsh vot
