Since her first campaign video went viral, and after her appearance at the Republican National Convention, GOP Baltimore congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik has been hot stuff to legions of Republicans and black American voters.
With fellow GOP star Candace Owens, Klacik is turning the Democrat message around on itself and motivating thousands of disaffected black voters to switch to the Republican Party. I myself briefly met her earlier in the year at CPAC. Her star power is undeniable and if she wins in the Maryland 7th CD she will pull off the upset of the year. A sequel to the first spot could help her do it. Fox News sets the stage.
“The original ad was simple. She wore a red dress and took viewers on a tour of a city that seemed abandoned. The message to voters in Maryland’s 7th Congressional District was: The city has been plagued by violence and unemployment after 53 years of Democrat rule, isn’t it time to try something new? Her new video returns to the same theme. She takes viewers on a tour of a city filled with vacant buildings and garbage bags. She called the situation dangerous and said one of her first priorities will be getting the trash collected.
“Our streets should be a reflection of our leaders: clean, not dirty,” she said. She offered some solutions. She said that she will support tax credits and incentive programs to give residents in the city a chance to buy some of the 17,000 vacant homes in the city. She said she wants to end the “school to prison pipeline” by introducing school choice.”
Tens of millions of you have shared the struggle of black people in Baltimore. You cared about our black lives more than our own leaders.
They have done nothing for us.
Now they can’t hide.
We are the change.Please support our movement:https://t.co/8yLL5VmMSU [1] pic.twitter.com/1sGyqXHpzt [2]
— Kimberly Klacik (@kimKBaltimore) September 20, 2020 [3]
But the reality is Klacik has little shot at the district. Her common sense and well delivered message will not resonate with enough Baltimore voters to put her over the top. And yet, she is a rising Republican star.
Thus this could be a name and brand recognition shakedown cruise for bigger and better things. A possible spot in the next Trump administration, a run at Senator or Governor of Maryland, or a move to a safer seat could all be in the cards for Klacik. Her national success is the spearhead of a phenomenon that must keep Democrats up at night. That will be the president doubling or tripling his support with black voters. Will he take a majority of them? No. But he could take enough to decide some close districts and his considerable coattails could bring some down ballot black Republicans enough votes to win.