So far the campaign in Maryland for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, to replace retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes, is turning into an upleasant black-white conflict.
According to fundraising figures released yesterday, Mr. Mfume — the former president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) — trails far behind Mr. Cardin, a 10-term congressman from Baltimore.
Mr. Mfume, who last March became the first Democrat to enter the race, has raised $421,000 and has $125,000 on hand.
Mr. Cardin, who announced his candidacy in April, has raised $2.8 million and has $2.1 million on hand.
In addition, the majority of Mr. Mfume’s 30 endorsements have come from black leaders in the state legislature, the Baltimore City Council or in Prince George’s County. Mr. Cardin, who is white, has been endorsed by more than 100 leaders, only a handful of them black.
Mr. Mfume’s contributions shortfall has “draw[n] [the] ire of black Democrats,” who complain that the state party leadership’s failure to support former Mfume, and to encourage contributions to him, shows “an important lack of respect.”
Let us assume that the contributors to Mr. Cardin believe he is the best qualified candidate. Why, I wonder, do they believe that the “best qualified”should prevail in Democratic primaries but not in college admissions or employment, where a preference for “best qualified” is usually denounced as racism, as something that should take a back seat to “diversity”?
