The Fannie Lou Hamer Democratic Club of St. Louis County endorsed Rick Stream, a conservative Republican, over Democratic nominee Steve Stenger for St. Louis County Executive. The general election is Tuesday, November 4.
Stenger, an attorney from South County who is closely tied to St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch, is attacking Stream as “too extreme for St. Louis County.” Stream has sided with Missouri Republicans in measures that would have the effect of excluding some low-income voters. He has cast doubt on whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States and eligible to serve in the nation’s highest office.
The American asked Mike Jones, one of the architects of the Fannie Lou Hamer club (and advisor to Charlie Dooley, the lame duck county exec), to explain the disconnect. Why would black Democrats endorse Stream?
St. Louis American: By just about any measure, the Republican candidate for St. Louis County Executive, Rick Stream, is more conservative and less progressive – less aligned with the self-interest of most African Americans – than his Democratic opponent, Steve Stenger. We know that Stenger aligned with St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch – a white Democrat who many black Democrats consider an enemy – to run a negative, slanderous primary campaign to defeat County Executive Charlie Dooley, a black incumbent Democrat. So, everybody gets the revenge motive that many black Democrats may feel for delivering a defeat to Stenger. But let’s set aside revenge as an ignoble motive with at best short-term gains. Please explain why it is in the long-term self-interest of African Americans in St. Louis County to cross over to the Republican side and elect the more conservative, less progressive Rick Stream as county executive on Nov. 4.
Mike Jones: Thanks for the opportunity to clarify what the FLHDC is really trying to get done on behalf of the African-American community. This is not about revenge in any shape, form or fashion. Black candidates lose regularly to white candidates without so much as a loud “ah, man” from the African-American community. The loss of Charlie Dooley did not put at risk some larger African-American political agenda. Taking revenge for Charlie Dooley not only misrepresents FLHDC but also misrepresents the political relationship Charlie Dooley as county executive had with the African-American community.
However, the manner of the white Democratic attack on him, led by the almost all-white construction trade unions, laid bare the one sided political relation between the St. Louis County Democratic Party and the African-American community. White county Democrats have taken the investment of African-American votes and have generated little to no return. In fact, they have actively worked against the interests of the African-American community as defined by the African-American community.
To understand the FLHDC endorsement of Stream, you only have to know one thing: “The enemy of my enemy is my ally.” If you’re going into battle, you have to be armed with a weapon that will get the job done. The job in politics is always to take a shot that will kill, not wound. A vote for Rick Stream kills any chance Steve Stenger and his allies have of capturing the office of county executive. That removes them from power.
FLHDC is developing a second option for African-American voters, who for very legitimate reasons can’t bring themselves to vote for a Republican. For the Office of County Executive write in the candidate of your conscience. This option cripples the Stenger campaign in a way that should be impossible to overcome.
The Stream camp has committed to FHLDC that his administration will ensure that it’s representative of St. Louis County’s population. The reason this promise is creditable is because they really don’t have much choice if they want to govern the county. Now I’m sure Stenger will make the same promises, but Democrats haven’t kept them in the past and FLHDC would be seen as soft and weak if they did that deal now.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change the game, and FLHDC is playing with house money. They can’t lose if the community stays with them.
By the way, there’s nothing wrong with revenge, as long as it’s served cold!
