Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) landed a surprising endorsement from a Black Lives Matter group based in the Cleveland area.
Rob Portman was elected in 2010 and pretty much has the same policies and views as any other Republican politician.
The executive board of the Cuyahoga County group voted on the endorsement, with four votes going to Portman and three going to former Governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland, a Democrat who most likely will be a much better option than Portman.
According to the president of the BLM group, Jeff Mixon, they just “weren’t impressed with Ted Strickland at all.”
With 52 members, you’d think a lot of them would be against this endorsement due to the fact that majority of Black Lives Matter groups affiliate themselves with Democratic politicians.
Recent articles have reported that the Cuyahoga County BLM group isn’t actually affiliated with the national organization. Black Lives Matter in Cleveland is the only Cleveland based BLM group to have that title.
Cleveland BLM spokesperson Latonya Goldsby, who is a cousin of Tamir Rice, told Cleveland Scene.
“This is not our chapter, nor are we affiliated with them. The Black Lives Matter network that we represent is not connected with this organization.”
Despite its lack of true affiliation with the national organization, it’s still strange that any group associated with African American rights will endorse a senator from a party that, for the most part, does not take Black Lives Matter seriously.
At the Republican National Convention, Sheriff David A. Clark announced some “good news” regarding the acquittal of Lieutenant Brian Rice, who was involved in the tragic Freddie Gray case. This announcement was met with disgusting cheers from Republican delegates and politicians, ultimately showing just how serious they take police brutality and what Black Lives Matter stands for.
This is one of many examples of how the Republican Party treats African American rights. Perhaps the biggest one is the infamous “ALL LIVES MATTER!” chant when they hear “Black Lives Matter.”
The Cuyahoga County BLM group’s endorsement was met with surprise and controversy due to the fact that most Republicans just aren’t a good choice when your group’s main focus is civil rights and equality.
One reason the group may be receptive to Sen. Portman is that he tends to lean further to the left than many GOP politicians. For example, he has a gay son and has come out in support of same-sex marriage. Another bold move is that he split from the Republican Party to agree to meet with Pres. Obama’s SCOTUS nominee, Merrick Garland.
Despite these shows of intelligence, Portman is still a hardcore conservative.
To see the reaction to Sheriff David Clark’s announcement at the RNC, watch this starting at 1:30:
Featured image via screengrab from video.
