Republican Rep. Byron Donalds (FL-19) and Republican Rep. John James (MI-10) are running for governor in their respective states. What makes this significant? Donalds and James are Black. Should they win their races, they will be the first Blacks in their state to ascend to the governorship. It's a big deal, particularly in the deep South of Florida.
I know some like to cry how this shouldn't matter. Well, I don't make the world, and for many citizens, Black or otherwise, it does matter. Frankly, it is something that should be celebrated and publicized just like any other historic shift. It is history, after all. Since the entire legacy media apparatus loves to keep embedding the narrative that Republicans and conservatives are anti-Black, anti-immigrant, and racist in all their actions, the stories and pivotal news about candidates like Donalds and James should be promoted to counter these narratives, and should be amplified as much as possible.
Our esteemed RedState columnist Andrew Malcolm talked about this last week in his "Malcolm on the Right" column. A longtime journalist in both legacy and conservative media, Malcolm points to the deliberate media blackout of this type of news because it does not fit their preferred narrative:
What we hear much less about is the silent censorship of the same outlets about what they don't want people to know and think about, especially as election times roll around. Remember all the news coverage in legacy media on the repulsive drug and sexual documentation found on Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop?
No, you don't! There was none because media did not want to tarnish his father's chances in the 2020 presidential election.
Well, the same thing is happening now as two stellar Republican House members seek to become the elected leaders of both Florida and Michigan. Oh, by the way, both candidates are black family men.
This occurs on the state level too, and frankly, the amplification matters more. All politics is local, and I am constantly amazed at how little people pay attention to municipal and state races, where the outcome has a greater impact on their lives and livelihoods. I moved to the Deep South of Alabama over three years ago, so I get the privilege of covering the state politics and shenanigans here on RedState and for a local outlet, 1819 News.
In Lauderdale County's District 1 in North Alabama, Maurice McCaney unseated six-term incumbent Phillip Pettus in the May 19 primary, to win the State House seat. What is chef's kiss is that McCaney is running unopposed in November. Lauderdale County is a hearty Republican area, so no Democrat ran for the seat.
The race wasn't even close, and McCaney ran on his conservative bona fides, not his race. But it is still historic that McCaney, a Black man, is the first of his race to serve in this seat. So, when Democrats and legacy media point out how horrible and racist the South is, this should be one of those examples used to countermand that false directive.
But this is not even a first for Alabama. In 2021, the ruby red District 73 in Southern Alabama elected Kenneth Paschal as its State House representative. Paschal was the first Black representative elected to the Alabama legislature since Reconstruction. Like McCaney, Paschal also handily won his May 19 primary, and will ascend to the seat, unopposed by a Democrat, in the general.
Paschal is a decorated veteran and community advocate who founded an organization called Bridge the Gap. When protests and unrest tried to rise up in his community, Paschal and his organization worked to quell it through dialogue with all the community partners affected. Paschal received praise from mayors, police chiefs, and civic leaders for his work of peaceful unification.
Instead of Alabamians, and the nation for that matter, hearing about these milestones, the legacy media greatly fixated on Alabama being able to use its 2023 maps in light of the 2026 Louisiana v. Callais Supreme Court decision. Now, the two Black Congressional members: Rep. Terri Sewell (D-07) and Rep. Shomari Figures (D-02) have to actually compete for their congressional seats instead of getting a leg up because of racial gerrymandering.
That is how it should be.
But the legacy media, political commentators, and prognosticators tried to paint this as an abject horror, crying that the Black vote was being suppressed. It was Selma and the Edmund Pettus Bridge all over again, when it is so not.
What I do love about certain county and party chairs in this state is that they know how to promote milestones and push counter narratives to combat the fake news noise.
This Facebook post from Cedric Coley, Chairman of the River Region Minority Republicans, shows how this is done.
🇺🇸 A Historic Moment for Alabama! 🇺🇸
In July 2021, Kenneth Paschal for State Representative District 73 became the first Black Republican elected to the Alabama Legislature since Reconstruction. 📚
At his swearing-in, he declared that the Republican Party “is open to everyone,” reflecting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of judging people based on their character, not the color of their skin. 🕊️
Now, another historic milestone is approaching! 💭
With Rep. Paschal and Maurice McCaney (House District 1) both unopposed in the November 3, 2026, general election, [McCaney] is poised to become the second Black Republican elected to the Alabama Legislature since Reconstruction. 🎉
Both gentlemen earned voters' trust in majority-white districts—Paschal in Shelby County and McCaney in Lauderdale County. Neither was handpicked by the political establishment. Both earned support through hard work, character, qualifications, and commitment to their respective districts. 📝
As we celebrate America's Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary), I reflect with appreciation on the Republican Party's historic role in advancing the 15th Amendment, protecting voting rights regardless of race. 📜
As Chairman of the River Region Chapter of the Alabama Minority Republicans, I am personally proud to endorse both gentlemen and celebrate this important chapter in Alabama's history! 🎊
🇺🇸 Congratulations, Kenneth Paschal and Maurice McCaney on your nominations and on being unopposed in your respective House Districts. We look forward to both of you being sworn in and adding to Alabama and the Republican Party’s history! 🇺🇸
— Cedric Coley
Chairman, River Region Minority Republicans
These legacy media narratives need to be countered, reduced, and put to bed. The way we do this is by promoting historical milestones and firsts, and promoting Republican and conservative inroads and progress at every stage.
