Calling Kean negative, black ministers endorse Menendez
2006-10-12
Source: New Jersey Star-Ledger
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rss feedLeaders of the prominent Black Ministers Council yesterday endorsed Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez over Republican state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., saying the tone of the campaign for the U.S. Senate swayed their decision.
"We wanted and expected to have a tough choice to make between two good candidates," said the Rev. Reginald Jackson, executive director of the council and pastor of St. Matthew's AME Church in Orange. "Instead, the Republican candidate has sought to be elected by tearing down his oppo nent. He has not given us reasons to vote for him, only unsubstanti ated charges to vote against his op ponent."
Menendez joined Jackson and 20 other ministers at a Statehouse news conference to accept the endorsements. Jackson emphasized they were making individual statements of support because the non- profit council is legally barred from endorsing candidates.
The support of the ministers, especially from the pulpit on the Sunday before the election, can help turn out voters for the candi dates they endorse. African-Americans, who comprise about 12 percent of the state's population, have supported Democratic candidates in recent statewide elections by margins greater than 9-to-1.
"I believe this endorsement will determine the outcome of this election because our people look to us to say who is the right person, who is the right choice," said the Rev. Alfred Steele, pastor of the Seminary Baptist Church in Paterson and a state assemblyman. "Robert Menendez is the right man."
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