More blacks run for Congress on GOP ticket

WASHINGTON, May 5 (UPI) -- At least 32 African-Americans are running for Congress this year as Republicans, the biggest surge since Reconstruction, party officials said.

Party officials and the candidates said they recognize they have uphill battles in the primary and general elections, but they also note that black Republicans are running with confidence, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

Leaders and candidates point to two reasons -- dissatisfaction with the Obama administration and the fact that Barack Obama was elected president.

"I ran in 2008 and raised half a million dollars, and the state party didn't support me and the national party didn't support me," said Allen West, who is vying a U.S. house seat in Florida and one of about five black candidates GOP leaders believe could win. "But we came back and we're running and things are looking great."

The House has not had a black Republican since 2003, when Oklahoma's J.C. Watts retired after eight years.

Other candidates told the Times Obama's election empowered them, making them realize that they could, indeed, run a congressional campaign and win.

"There is no denying that one of the things that came out of the election of Obama was that you have a lot of African-Americans running in both parties now," said Vernon Parker, who is running for an open seat in Arizona's Third District.