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Five Tips For Your Better Financial Future 

Rashad Bilal
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Five Tips For Your Better Financial Future 

If you are like many Americans, the current economic environment continues to make it difficult for your family to make ends meet. Many of us have readjusted our spending habits to such an extent that there is now a new normal. For example, we may no longer shop as much as or where we used to; we may settle for a staycation, rather than a true getaway; and items that were previously considered to be necessities have been relegated to the “can’t afford” or “not needed” category.  

If you think these are temporary changes, think again. Many economic analysts feel that these new attitudes are here to stay.

Tips to help improve your economic future

Here are some tips to help you take stock of your overall economic picture, with actionable steps designed to help improve your long-term financial security.

Tip #1: Determine what is really important.

Take stock of what is really important to you and your family—is the newest electronic game system or cell phone more important than creating a secure financial future?  

Start by developing your family’s mission statement. This is easier than it sounds: Simply write out what is important to you as a group. Be sure to include what your long- and short-term goals are, and what you are willing to give up to make these goals a reality. Don’t forget that along the way, you may still want to decide what little luxuries your entire family can enjoy (like a get-away) that you want to keep in your budget – since these can help you feel less deprived and even save you money (by keeping you from going out to first-run movies, for example). 

Tip #2: Cut back, even if it hurts (a little).

Figuring out what is most important to your family from a financial perspective is a smart move –and a good decision for your long-term financial security. Making even small sacrifices in your spending can help you meet your goals. Look carefully at how you and your family members spend your money so you can identify where you can make small changes to cut back on non-essential expenditures. And don’t overlook the bigger-ticket items you pay for every month, such as your cable TV/Internet subscriptions and car insurance. Making minor adjustments to these items can free up more dollars than you might imagine, and play a significant role in helping you fund your family’s long-term financial goals. 

Tip #3: Become a dedicated saver.

If you are like many families, trying to juggle financial priorities can make saving extremely difficult. 

Successful savers use the concept of paying themselves first whenever they receive a paycheck. Over time, adopting that one smart move can help you reach your financial goal of saving for a car, a vacation, or whatever is a priority for your family. To help make it easier, check with your employer to see if you can have part of your pay automatically deposited into one or more savings accounts. It can make saving automatic—and nearly painless.

Tip #4: Run your numbers.

Do you know if you are on track with your current disability coverage, life insurance, and retirement savings plan(s)? In other words, will these important items provide you and your family with the amount of financial protection you’ll need – when needed? Don’t wait until it’s too late. Take the time now to assess their adequacy and make the appropriate adjustments. 

Tip #5: Get the help you need. 

When it comes to Tips 1 through 4, you may feel you need some assistance. Whether you need help in just one area or all four, start looking at your future through a new lens – one that has your family’s financial goals in focus, with a plan to help you get there. Contact a financial professional to discuss ways they can help you put these tips into action—and your financial dreams on track.

Taking the right steps today can help to ensure a better financial future for both you and your loved ones. 

Provided by Rashad Bilal, a financial representative with The Bilal Group LLC, who represents MassMutual and other companies; courtesy of MassMutual

© 2014 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Springfield, MA 01111-0001. All rights reserved. www.massmutual.com  

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BW Exclusive: The Jamar Smythe Interview

AJ Woodson
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BW Exclusive: The Jamar Smythe Interview

Jamar Smythe, a Peekskill man wrongfully convicted when cops lied at trial, gets released after serving four years of the 15-year sentence. He sits down with Editor-In-Chief AJ Woodson and tells his story exclusively to Black Westchester

10,000 Strong Peacefully Protest In Downtown Baltimore, Media Only Reports The Violence & Arrest of Dozens

AJ Woodson
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10,000 Strong Peacefully Protest In Downtown Baltimore, Media Only Reports The Violence & Arrest of Dozens

“A number of protesters were concerned that Baltimore—nicknamed “Charm City”—was being treated unfairly in the media after the trouble on Saturday. Baltimore was not out of control,” said Karen DeCamp, a director at the Greater Homewood Community Corporation, a nonprofit advocacy organization, who was demonstrating outside the funeral home, Sunday. “Baltimore was not burning. A very small number of people made some trouble, and it was completely blown out of proportion.”

10,000 people from across the country peacefully protested in Baltimore in support of seeking of justice for the death of Freddie Gray. Even though 100 of the 10,000 acted up and approximately 35 people were arrested after the peaceful protest (that’s about 1%), much of the mainstream media used attention-grabbing words in their headlines like ‘Protest Turns Destructive, (USA Today) ‘Scenes of Chaos In Baltimore… (NY Times), Dozens Arrested After Protest Turns Violent (WBAL TV). One website, Breitbart.com’s headlines read: 1,000 Black Rioters In Baltimore Smash Police Cars, Attack Motorists In Frenzied Protest.

The truth is, you had 10,000 plus people come together in unity in support of the fight for justice for Freddie Gray. While the numbers vary, 100 or so were the ones you saw acting up on the news, and the 35 persons who were arrested were the ones you read about. But reporting that won’t bring in the ratings that attract a heavy advertising revenue.

CNN reported: Protesters angry over the death of Freddie Gray got into physical altercations with police Saturday night in downtown Baltimore near the city’s famed baseball stadium.

Some of the hundreds who confronted lines of police officers got into shoving matches with helmeted cops, while other demonstrators threw objects. At least five police cars were damaged by people who smashed windows and jumped on them.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she was profoundly disappointed by the violence, adding that 95% of the protesters were respectful but a “small group of agitators intervened.”

Time.com reported: The demonstration was aimed at police, who had Gray in their custody when he suffered injuries that would prove fatal. Baltimore police said 35 people, including four juveniles, were arrested and six officers suffered minor injuries during the latest protest.

As you read most of the nationwide coverage, the various news media and websites do admit that most of the protesters were peaceful, as you read further down their stories, despite the attention-grabbing headlines that speak of only the violence, destruction, and criminal mischief of a few. Unfortunately, there will always be a few agitators in any crowd this size. Some of which are purposely positioned among the peaceful protesters for just that reason.

After what has been going on with black men being killed nationwide without any justice taking place even after grand juries, video evidence, incidents being ruled homicide by medical examiners, No officers go to jail, very few cops lose their jobs, and the Ferguson officer who killed Mike Brown was allowed to retire and protect his pension, there is a sense of frustration in these protests, yes!

What happened in the streets of Ferguson was worse by comparison. But let’s be very clear, the scene the media is describing, the picture being painted with all headlines, is something no one, I repeat NO ONE, wants to see. What they’re showing you are the actions of 100 or so people; there were 10,000 people there, and despite some of the headlines, you can see from the pictures below that not all the protesters were black and out of control. And despite what a local pastor would have you believe, some of those who were acting up the most were doing so before those (he called outsiders), who came to town in support showed up.

Words have power; they create perceptions that make other actions possible and allow the most outrageous of explanations why they kill black people believable and acceptable to other groups of people. Let’s be clear here, NO ONE wants to truly see Scenes of Chaos: 1,000’s of Frenzied Protesters Rioting In Baltimore, the city would truly still be burning. But the media will show the worst or the worst, you know, if it bleeds it leads. It’s indeed great for ratings, which leads to heavy advertising revenue, but it is not good for our community or the race relations nationwide.

Just like the media takes the liberty to show the worst of the worst, as they did in Baltimore, I am taking the liberty to show the worst of the worst in their reporting and calling them out. It’s important not to allow the mass media to distort the narrative and take away from the message of this fight for justice.

What they don’t report is that there were “Muslims, Christians, Jews, Blacks, Whites, Asians, Young and Old, Rich and Poor people all united and standing harmoniously against common oppression,” shared one of the organizers, Frank ‘Sha’ Francois. The demonstration was sponsored by a wide coalition of social justice groups, including Malik Shabazz of Black Lawyers For Justice (BLFJ), Carl Dix of Stop Mass Incarceration (SMIN), and brother Ted Freedomfighter Sutton of Sutton House, just to name a few who came in support of their brothers and sisters in Baltimore. Support for the justice of Freddie Gray, 25, who was arrested one week ago, in West Baltimore. He died on April 19th from injuries sustained while he was in police custody.

“One burning building will be looped on television over and over again, and the thousands of demonstrators who did it the right way have been lost in the discussion,” President Obama said at press conference on Tuesday.

PBP Radio – Episode 33 – Yusef Salaam & Independence Party Chair Dr. Guilo Cavallo

AJ Woodson
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PBP Radio – Episode 33 – Yusef Salaam & Independence Party Chair Dr. Guilo Cavallo

BlackWestchester.com presents People Before Politics Radio – Episode 33, With Your Host Damon K. Jones, AJ Woodson, and Co-host Cynthia Turnquest-Jones… GUESTS: Independence Party Westchester County Chairman Dr. Guilio Cavallo, Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Fiener, and Yusef Salaam (Central Park 5/Exonerated 5)

André Wallace Announces His Candidacy For Mount Vernon City Council On People Before Politics Radio

AJ Woodson
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André Wallace Announces His Candidacy For Mount Vernon City Council On People Before Politics Radio

Mount Vernon businessman André Wallace exclusively announced he will be running for Mount Vernon City Council on the Sunday, April 6, 2015 episode of Black Westchester presents The People Before Politics Radio Show.

Wallace shares with the show hosts Damon K.Jones and AJ Woodson, and co-host Cynthia Turnquest-Jones why he feels he is the candidate that voters should vote for in one of the open City Council seats available in the September 10th Democratic Primary.

André Wallace shares that his main policy positions focus on fiscal responsibility, improving basic city services, and increasing transparency in government operations. 

Wallace says his key positions included:

  • Fiscal Management and Taxes: Pledging to control and reduce taxes, which he argued were excessive for homeowners.
  • Economic Development and Jobs: Proposing to reduce unemployment, citing his construction experience and a job training program he ran as models for boosting the local economy.
  • Improving City Services: Addressing the perceived decline in essential city services and overall quality of life.
  • Government Transparency and Responsibility: Promising to make City Hall more “responsive and responsible” and expanding the transparency of city government operations. 

These positions are part of a broader platform aimed at addressing what he described as a “broken system” and ensuring the city’s government works for its residents.

For more information on André Wallace’s candidacy, visit his website.

André Wallace Announces His Candidacy For Mount Vernon City Council On People Before Politics Radio

AJ Woodson
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André Wallace Announces His Candidacy For Mount Vernon City Council On People Before Politics Radio


MOUNT VERNON, NY — André Wallace officially announces his candidacy for Mount Vernon City Council on the People Before Politics Show, Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015.

There has been some speculation about whether the building contractor and developer would be making a run for one of the City Council seats in play in the upcoming election. With 15 minutes left in the show, Wallace, who dropped by the weekly internet talk radio show to give a recap of Saturday’s community forum that took place in his building, made the official announcement that he is, in fact, running for the Mount Vernon Council.

At about 7:45 PM, PBP Radio co-host Cynthia Turnquest-Jones leans over to Wallace and says, “You’re running, aren’t you?” Wallace leans into the microphone and replies, “You figured it out?” The studio erupts in laughter, and Wallace then officially announces his candidacy for City Council and explains why he is running (see video below).

“I truly believe Mount Vernon’s greatest days are just ahead, but we have to work together to get there,” Wallace tells BW, Monday morning via phone. “We must understand the honor, responsibility, and extraordinary privilege it is to participate in the transformation of our city that will impact the lives of so many. The opportunity to make a difference should never be taken lightly, nor shall it be forsaken for one’s own agenda. We must be committed to conducting ourselves from the fundamental values that are at the heart of who we truly are, such as truth, integrity, and responsibility. As your City Councilman, I promise to be true to these values, principles, and commitment to changing Mount Vernon for the better.”

At midnight, Wallace officially launched his website as well as his Facebook and Twitter pages for the campaign.

BW previously interviewed Wallace at the groundbreaking ceremony for the long-awaited construction of the 159-unit Luxury Workforce Rental Apartment Building on Gramatan Avenue.

It was Wallace, who is the President of Creative Direction Construction & Design and The National Builders Association, who negotiated the contract with the developers that a large portion of the workforce for the project be Mount Vernon residents. Wallace is also responsible for training and preparing Mount Vernon residents in the construction skills, i.e., plumbing, electrical, masonry, OSHA certification, etc., needed to do the job.

“We refer to ourselves as “the city that believes” and the residents of Mount Vernon have wanted to believe for some time now that eventually, things in this city will change for the better,” Wallace continues. “But how can we believe anything will be different when our actions continue to be the same? It’s time for a new direction.”

PBP Radio Episode 32 – The Black Community

AJ Woodson
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PBP Radio Episode 32 – The Black Community

Black Westchester presents… “People Before Politics Radio” Episode 32 With Your Host Damon K. Jones, AJ Woodson, plus Co-Host Cynthia Turnquest-Jones and Financial Consultant Rashad J. Bilal

This Week’s Guests: Author of “Corruption Officer” Gary L. Heyward and Andre Wallace “Construction Guru” building the community & building brothers. TOPICS: The Black Community!

People Before Politics Radio, Giving You Real Talk For The Community Since 2014!

Black Westchester presents the People Before Politics Radio Show every Sunday night, 6-8 PM, simulcasting live on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube and archived on BlackWestchester.com. Giving you that Real Talk For The Community since 2014.

To support the Black Westchester and the People Before Politics Radio Show, which provides the News With The Black Point Of view and gives you the real talk for the community for free, make a donation via PayPal at www.PayPal.me/BlackWestchesterMag. In the words of Ray Charles, “One of these days, and it [might not be] long, You’re gonna look for [us], and [we’ll] be gone.” Support independent, Black-free media!

As always, you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube

Contributions and Donations can be made via PayPal.

Byron Allen Talks Lawsuit, Al Sharpton, Civil Rights Orgs. And Lack Of Black Owned Media With Black Westchester

AJ Woodson
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Byron Allen Talks Lawsuit, Al Sharpton, Civil Rights Orgs. And Lack Of Black Owned Media With Black Westchester

That $20 Billion Lawsuit: Byron Allen Vs Comcast, Al Sharpton, and Time Warner Cable.

After asking ‘Are Historical Civil Rights Organizations Selling Out‘ last week, we spoke about Television producer and media mogul Byron Allen, who, along with the National Association of African-American Owned Media (NAAAOM), dropped a $20 billion suit against Comcast, Al Sharpton, and Time Warner Cable.

BW caught up to Byron Allen, Chairman and CEO of Entertainment Studios via telephone and chopped up on everything including the lawsuit, the proposed merger between Comcast & Time Warner, Rev. Al. Sharpton and the National Action Network, Civil Rights Organizations NAACP and National Urban League, the distinction between Black “targeted” media and Black-owned media, and the National Association Of African-American Owned Media (NAAAOM) and much more.

Are Historical Civil Rights Organizations Selling Us Out?

AJ Woodson
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Are Historical Civil Rights Organizations Selling Us Out?

Civil Rights Organizations: If They Don’t Like Being Called Sellouts? Then Don’t Sell Out!

The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and the National Urban League, founded in 1909 and 1910, respectively, were established to serve the growing needs and pressing concerns of African-Americans at the time. The issues were basically of integration and equality. The period of Reconstruction had seen constitutional reform, but proper interpretation and implementation were still unrealized.

The National Action Network (NAN) is a not-for-profit, civil rights organization founded by the Reverend Al Sharpton in New York City, New York, in early 1991. The NAN for years has been considered one of the leading civil rights organizations in the nation, with over 70 chapters throughout the United States. NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency, and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality, or gender.

For years, the NAN and these historical civil rights organizations have fought for our civil and human rights, to change the national consciousness with regard to the capabilities and achievements of African-Americans. But what happens when they appear to be less effective, less respected, or better yet, they are perceived by the very people they have vowed to represent as sell-outs?

This was the source of conversation in 2014 with the Net-Neutrality, when the entire civil rights establishment was accused of just plain selling out the Internet. They were accused of failing to protect your right to access what you want and how you want on the internet. Now, once again, their loyalties are being called into question in this proposed Comcast-Time Warner Merger.

The New York Post reported that Sharpton and his organization, the NAN, as well as the NAACP and Urban League (who have traditionally fought for our interests) were being paid to keep quiet about the lack of black TV programming, with the proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner.

Days later, legendary TV talk show host Byron Allen told The Daily Caller that top media interests are actively freezing out and in some cases destroying black-owned media companies — and they’re paying Reverend-turned-MSNBC host Al Sharpton to give them racial cover to do it.

Allen, 53, is the chairman and CEO of the production company Entertainment Studios, which joined with the National Association of African-American Owned Media (NAAAOM) to file a $20 billion racial discrimination lawsuit this week against Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Sharpton’s National Action Network, the NAACP, the Urban League, and former FCC commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker. Allen and his fellow plaintiff also filed a $10 billion suit against AT&T and DirecTV.

But instead of Sharpton’s NAN and other activist groups such as the NAACP and National Urban League protesting the inequity, they and Comcast signed “voluntary diversity agreements” that “whitewash” the company’s racist practices, the suit claims.

After the pacts were signed, Comcast shelled out $140,000 to National Action Network, $835,000 to the National Urban League and $30,000 to the NAACP, according to the suit. The group’s allegations of payouts also factor in Sharpton’s TV salary, which he has been receiving since starting to host MSNBC’s “PoliticsNation” in 2011, the suit says.

While Sharpton blasted the suit as “frivolous at best.” The activist concedes his group has gotten some donations from Comcast, but said, “It’s nowhere near $1 million.” After reading this article, one has to ask whether our historical civil rights organizations are selling us out? So we decided to reach out to the three aforementioned organizations and look into this.

“Comcast has engaged in, and is engaging in, pernicious, intentional racial discrimination in contracting,” it reads. Whether or not it gets anywhere is another question. Anyone can file a lawsuit alleging anything and claiming any amount of money. Is there any merit to this? Is this “frivolous at best,” as Sharpton suggests?

Comcast ripped the suit as being full of “inflammatory, inaccurate and unsupported allegations.”

While looking into the claims of the lawsuit, BW has found what could be a possible link between NAN, NAACP, the National Urban League, and Comcast. Key members of historical Civil Rights Organizations who are also Comcast’s Joint External Diversity Advisory Council Members, called the National African-American Advisory Council, including W. Franklyn Richardson, Senior Pastor, Grace Baptist Church of Mount Vernon, NY, who is the Chairman of Sharpton’s NAN.

We reported last month that Westchester County will pay $1 million to buy a piece of property in Mount Vernon and sell it back to Grace Baptist Church for $1 to build more senior housing. There were questions that this deal was a payoff for Richardson supporting Astorino (who Sharpton has been very critical of) for his second bid for County Executive, despite not doing much for African-Americans in Westchester. Richardson and Sharpton’s tactics have been questioned before over the Westchester County HUD lawsuit.

Marc H. Morial, Council Chair, President & Chief Executive Officer, National Urban League (New York, NY)
Harold Epps, Vice Chair, President & Chief Executive Officer, PRWT Services, Inc. (Philadelphia, PA)
Drew Berry, Chief Executive Officer, Drew Berry and Associates (Baltimore, MD)
Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman, NAACP National Board of Directors (Elkridge, MD)
W. Don Cornwell, Former Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Granite Broadcasting (Brooklyn, NY)
Carla A. Harris, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management (New York, NY)
Christine James-Brown, President & Chief Executive Officer, Child Welfare League of America (Washington, DC)
W. Franklyn Richardson, Senior Pastor, Grace Baptist Church (Mount Vernon, NY)
Julieanna L. Richardson, Founder & Executive Director, The HistoryMakers (Chicago, IL)

While that alone might not be absolute proof, it is enough to at least ask the questions, ‘Are Historical Civil Rights Organizations Selling Us Out?’ Is having key members of these organizations sit on board positions for Comcast a conflict of interest? Are Comcast’s donations to these organizations in fact payoffs to keep quiet or reflect and distract us from the dangers this merger could mean to black programming and black-owned and operated channels?

The NAN posted on their website, The NAACP, National Urban League, and National Action Network announced today an agreement with Comcast and NBC Universal to expand current diversity initiatives intended to increase diversity in a wide range of areas, including programming and employment.

The Post piece states that Comcast carries just one completely black-owned channel, The Africa Channel, and that Time Warner barely fares better. With the allegations in Byron’s lawsuit and the large donations given to these organizations, are these voluntary diversity agreements in our best interest, or, like Byron claims, an attempt to “whitewash” the company’s racist practices?

Now I will say this, traditionally, the media has often tried to tear down the credibility and create the atmosphere to render our black leaders ineffective when they challenged the status quo. That being said, we must continue to hold them accountable. There’s a saying to whom much is given, much is expected. These organizations have been given the power (which they have earned for the most part) to represent us as a people, and we need to hold their feet to the fire to make sure they continue to.

The purpose of this editorial is not to further tear down our historically civil rights organizations and black leaders, but to ask the tough questions, present the facts, and let you decide for yourself. We posed the question, and now we want to hear your thoughts on the subject. Share your feedback in the comment section.

I close by saying again to the civil rights organizations; If You Don’t Like Being Called Sellouts, Don’t Sellout!

African-American Republicans Make History

AJ Woodson
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African-American Republicans Make History

Could This Be A Sign Of The Tide Turning As Republicans Appeal More To Black Voters Going Into 2016

This midterm election, Republicans not only took over the House and the Senate, but they also made history with Black Republicans Mia Love, Tim Scott, and Will Hurd.

An African-American woman has been elected to Congress as a member of the Republican Party for the first time. Yes, you heard me, this is not a misprint or typo. Her name is Mia Love, she is a 38-year-old former small-town mayor, electrified conservatives in Utah with her promise to take on “the Godzilla that we call the federal government” and won in the state’s fourth congressional district.

“This is a great night for our nation. It is especially a great night for Utah,” Ms. Love told supporters. Referring to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Mormon Church, she went on, “Many of the naysayers out there said that Utah would never elect a black, Republican, LDS woman to Congress. And guess what? Not only did we do it, but we were the first to do it.”

She will join Tim Scott, the first elected African-American Senator from South Carolina, as one of just three African-American Republicans in Congress. The Democrats count 43 members in their current Congressional ranks.

This may be very instrumental in the Republican Party’s trying to capture more of the black vote in the upcoming presidential race. BW reported in October that potential presidential contender, Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who recently delivered the keynote address at an annual New Jersey NAACP conference for the first time in five years, realized just how important the black vote is.

In 2012, President Obama won 93% of the black vote. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that in that year, for the first time, African-American voters cast ballots at a higher rate than whites.

Mrs Love’s journey to Washington is an interesting tale, to say the least. Born in New York to Catholic parents who had immigrated from Haiti just two years earlier. Love comes from a hardworking family who saved money and eventually moved on up to the east side, I mean, Connecticut.

After university, Mrs Love converted to Mormonism and began working as a flight attendant before moving to Utah. There she met Jason Love, a white Mormon man. Their first date was at a gun range, and three months later, they were married. The couple has two daughters and a son.

Then six years on the city council before becoming mayor of a small but growing city of Sarasota Springs. A Haitian-American who converted to Mormonism wins in Utah, just the kind of story Republicans love to tell: how faith, family, and hard work led to success, without ever turning to the state for help along the way. That makes her a Republican Rock Star.

Republican Tim Scott became South Carolina’s first elected black senator Tuesday night with his victory over Democrat Joyce Dickerson. Scott is no stranger to the halls of Congress, though — he was appointed to the Senate in 2013 when then-Senator Jim DeMint resigned to lead the Heritage Foundation. With his Election Night win, Scott becomes the first popularly elected black senator in the South since Reconstruction.

Scott’s win also made him the first African-American in U.S. history to be elected to both the House and the Senate.

Many African Americans have felt the Democratic Party has taken their vote for granted for years. The Republicans who have been getting crushed by Democrats in the race for black votes for years see this as a prime opportunity to reach out to the black voters. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, and Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, who have been discussed as potential 2016 contenders, have all publicly acknowledged they will go after the black vote.

In addition to Love and Scott, Texas, pro-life congressional candidate Will Hurd won his race, unseating Rep. Pete Gallego.

Texas GOP Chairman Steve Munisteri said, “We have a truly historic result because Will will be the first Republican of African-American descent from the state of Texas since Reconstruction to represent our state in the House of Representatives.”

National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Greg Walden congratulated Hurd on a “hard-earned victory.”

“Will ran a fantastic campaign that focused on the issues Texans care about. Will truly has dedicated his life to helping his country and this is yet another proud chapter,” Walden said. “I’m honored to call him a friend and colleague.”

If the 2014 Midterm Election of Love, Scott, and Hurd are early markers to what we can expect in 2016, Democrats should be concerned. Democrats who traditionally counted the black vote as a certainty for years will have to step up their game to keep it. Let’s be clear, the Black Vote is still the Democrats to lose, but with the Republicans reaching out more to African-American, the possible shifting of control in Congress and the emergence of the Independence Party and others as an alternative to shift things in either direction, depending on how the wind is blowing, the Democrats have some work ahead of them.

“The question remains if these candidates are just symbols without substance, that the Republican Party is NOT inherently racist, or is the party gaining the support of Blacks as it did after President Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation. Time will only tell,” said BW Publisher Damon K. Jones in closing.

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