Kweisi Mfume Running for Sarbanes’ Senate Seat

Former NAACP Leader to Run for Senate (AP)

Former NAACP President Kweisi Mfume announced Monday that he will run for the U.S. Senate in 2006. “It is with great pride and deep humility that I announce to you today my candidacy for the Senate of the United States,” Mfume said at a news conference in Baltimore. “I can’t be bought. I won’t be intimidated. I don’t know how to quit,” Mfume said as his supporters applauded.

Mfume, who was a five-term U.S. congressman before becoming president of the Baltimore-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, issued the statement after incumbent Paul Sarbanes announced Friday that he will not run for re-election.

Mfume should be quite competitive in solidly liberal Maryland. Still, some of his antics as NAACP chief could hurt him in the general election. Indeed, he’s already scared off some potential challengers:

Four of Maryland’s six Democratic congressmen, Ben Cardin, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, Chris Van Hollen and Al Wynn, said when Sarbanes announced his retirement that they were considering running for his seat. Wynn said Monday, however, that he was dropping any such plan, in favor of Mfume.

via Steven Taylor

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