Brown Campaign Failed To Inspire African-American Voters
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Maryland's Democratic party is still absorbing the shock of a big loss to Republican governor-elect Larry Hogan.
Political reporter Pat Warren looks at why Democrats stayed home on election day.
Anthony Brown would have been the state's first African-American governor, but his campaign failed to inspire African-American voters.
Baltimore City, Prince George's and Montgomery counties are the biggest minority populations and the jurisdictions Democrats depend on, but David Pope and many people he knows weren't there for Anthony Brown.
"Well, he didn't come across as being real personable. He was saying the same message over and over and over again," Pope said.
All the presidential prompting...
"Anthony Brown has devoted his life to fighting for you. You now need to fight for him," President Obama said.
The preaching...
"You don't want to wake up the day after this election and wish you could have done more," said Hillary Clinton.
The beseeching...
"We need to do everything we can to vote for Anthony Brown as the next governor of Maryland," First Lady Michelle Obama said.
"It all comes down to who shows up," Clinton said.
And they didn't. Fewer than 40 percent in Baltimore and the Washington suburbs voted--the lowest levels in the state.
"I always expected it to be close, but I did not expect for Brown to lose. And I think, clearly, the voters have sent a message," said U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) 7th District.
"The people that did vote wanted a change, you know? So a lot of people that would normally vote Democrat voted Republican because they wanted a change," Pope said.
Political expert Matthew Crenson believes there's a lesson here.
"The Democratic Party and its candidates should remember that although this is a blue state, they have to connect with the blues in order to win elections," he said.
On the other hand, Larry Hogan's campaign on taxes and jobs seemed to hit home with voters regardless of race.
Republican Larry Hogan won the governor's race by 76,000 votes.
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