With Michigan’s Nov. 4 General Election less than 28 days away, the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) continues to invest significantly in African American communities across the state.
Under the auspices of the MDP, Lon Johnson, party chair, is geared for an aggressive, strategic campaign to convince state voters to elect Mark Schauer as Michigan’s next governor, send Gary Peters to the U.S. Senate, usher in Godfrey Dillard as the new secretary of state, and render victories to other Democratic candidates running for political offices.
Among the MDP’s most noticeable investments in the African American community are conducting the first-ever statewide poll of Black voters, mailing 300,000 AV applications, and e-blasting 70,000 emails. Additionally, the MDP has opened nine offices in African American communities statewide, staffed by 31 full-time African American workers. Numerous African American vendors have also been retained by the MDP. In addition, 30 African Americans now serve on MDP’s executive committee, which equates to 27 percent of MDP’s top brass.
While Schauer, Peters, Dillard and other Democrats have launched print and electronic political ads, the MDP has augmented such efforts by creating ways to reach and convince more voters to vote straight Democratic.
A key player in helping the MDP in its endeavors during the final days of the political season is Jackson Consulting Group, a Detroit-based African American-owned firm that specializes in government relations and affairs.
“My team will be developing and soon launching a series of radio, newspapers and online ads and messages created for African Americans all over the state, which will include such cities as Flint, Saginaw, Grand Rapids, Muskegon and of course, right here in cities throughout Metro Detroit,” said Chris Jackson, Jackson Consulting Group managing partner.
“As the General Election draws closer, Jackson Consulting Group is fully prepared to help the Michigan Democratic Party reach out to the African American constituency throughout Michigan.”
Also key to the MDP’s outreach strategy is Brilliant Corners Research and Strategies, Inc., a national African American- owned and operated polling firm. Brilliant Corners conducted Michigan’s first comprehensive survey focusing exclusive on Black voters in Michigan. This research is instrumental to Jackson Consulting Group and other media strategists working to get the Democrats’ message out online.
“African American voters have traditionally been a key block within the Democratic Party,” said Jackson. “So the MDP knows that the African American vote is the key to victory. Without African Americans turning out in high numbers, it would be very difficult for Michigan Democratic candidates to win.”
Johnson puts the number of African Americans with a history of voting who didn’t vote in 2010 at over 220,000.
“One of my main goals when I became chair of this party was to build a party and a campaign effort that worked harder to engage key communities like the African American community,” said Johnson. “It has to be done if we’re going to be successful in November and into the future.”
The MDP is proud to be working with many new African American vendors for the first time under Johnson’s watch. In addition to Jackson Consulting, the MDP works with an African American digital strategist, African American photographers, African American printers and senior advisors who work on everything from faith outreach to coordinating education board candidates.
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