DNC Group Targeting African-Americans For Campaign Donations
/- Originally published in The Frontrunner September 23, 2004
The Hill (9/23, O'Connor) reports, "Hoping to capitalize on a younger, more affluent generation, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has launched an unprecedented effort to solicit contributions from African-Americans. Something New, the DNC committee charged with this initiative, held its first event at Acropolis nightclub in Washington in June 2003. The group has held eight subsequent events and raised $1.7 million." But "while its financial stake has been relatively small this cycle, the group has tapped into an eager network of young supporters with more disposable income than their parents' generation." African- Americans "have been a loyal Democratic constituency since the 1960s, but this is the first election cycle that the party has made a direct appeal to their pocketbooks as well as to their votes. ... To date, former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.), Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama and the rap groups OutKast and the Black Eyed Peas have made appearances at Something New events. The group also has the support of entertainment moguls such as Russell Simmons and club owners such as Mark Barnes, who owns Dream nightclub in Washington."
