Congressional Candidate Sparks Dialogue On RaceAs the
number of African American Congress people increase- some political experts
question the viability of the political tool called the majority-minority
district. Based on an article written by Shailagh Murray of the Washington Post-
some districts such as New York`s Eleventh Congressional District fielded strong
white candidates that could potentially change this phenomenon. Many experts now
contend that candidates must step forward who can represent multi-racial
gentrifying communities. Mr. David Yassky, a white city councilman in New York
City receives accolades from many of his potential African American constituents
and some of the Afican American elite as a strong congressional contender. Other
African American leaders, however, such as the retiring Eleventh District of New
York Representative Major R. Owens , called Mr. Yassky a`colonizer.` Other
African American leaders asked Mr. Yassky to abandon his quest for this
congressional seat. Ironically, Stephen I. Cohen, a white Tennessee State
Senator vying for the Congressional seat currently held by Representative Harold
Ford, an African American, experienced some hostility while campaigning.
(Representative Harold Ford, currently campaigns for one of the United States
Senate seats reserved for the state of Tennessee). Mr. Cohen purportedly told
the Jewish Newspaper, the Forward of his campaign for congress in the following
terms: `Don`t judge me by my race but by my record.` Many white Democrats
complain that the majority-minority concept, credited with increasing
African-American office holders, turned into a blueprint for electing more
Republicans office holders. This procedure packs African Americans into a few
districts. The Democratic Party views African Americans as their most loyal
constituents.