Black Republican State Legislator?

[rbt48]

Is there a single one in the entire country among any of the 50 states? 

[J. J.]

Is there a single one in the entire country among any of the 50 states? 

There were one or two in 1980's in PA. 

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I know of one, State Sen. Jackie Winters from Oregon (because she ran for House awhile back.)

[Lincoln Republican]

I am pleased to inform you of two elected black Republican women currently serving

Representative Jane E. Powdrell-Culbert, New Mexico House of Representatives

Representative Jennifer Carroll, Florida House of Representatives

[Keystone Phil]

Is there a single one in the entire country among any of the 50 states? 

There were one or two in 1980's in PA. 

We're not counting Milton Street's party switch, are we? 

[Lincoln Republican]

Other black Republicans serving in state legislatures

Georgia, State Representative Willie Talton
Georgia, State Representative Melvin Everson
Michigan, State Seantor Bill Hardman
Nevada, State Senator Maurice Washington
Oklahoma, State Representative T.W. Shannon
Oregon, State Senator Jackie Winters (named previously)

[J. J.]

Is there a single one in the entire country among any of the 50 states? 

There were one or two in 1980's in PA. 

We're not counting Milton Street's party switch, are we? 

One, but there was a guy from Delaware County, Chester, IIRC.

[rbt48]

Say, this is great input.  I do appreciate it.

So, thus far, it sounds like a total of eight nationwide black Republican state legislators.  If I hear the responses correctly, that consists of three state senators and five from the state lower houses. 

Unless more are identified, it seems like 3 out of 1971 state senators nationwide are black Republicans, and 5 black Republicans out of 5411 are state (lower) house members.

Clearly, Republicans have a lot of room for progress in this arena.

[The Mikado]

The Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court is a black Republican.

[rbt48]

Wow, way to go Texas!  That is significant.

-A wandering minstral I, ...

[AndrewTX]

We used to have a Gary Franks..

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Johnny Ford, who is currently the Mayor of Tuskegee, Alabama, switched from Dem to GOP while he was in the Alabama House a few years ago.

There is also Democratic state rep in Memphis who probably would switch if he could still get elected in his district under the Republican label.

[Brittain33]

Althea Garrison was elected as a legislator from a minority district in Boston in 1992 when her Democratic opponent imploded in a scandal. She's never publicly acknowledged this and it wasn't known at the time, but she's also the first transgendered state legislator ever elected, and to my knowledge, the only one.

She lost in the next race and has been running for every office in sight ever since, including City Council and Mayor of Boston.

[rbt48]

Former/late Senator Edward Brooke, R-MA, got his start as a state legislator in Massachusetts.  He ran in both party primaries, lost as a Democrat, won primary and general as a Republican.  Later, elected Attorney General (twice, I think) and then to the US Senate in 1966, re-elected in 1972 (and defeated by Tsongas in 1978).

[Lincoln Republican]

Here's a link for you of elected black Republicans.

Yes, there are actually elected black Republicans, and yes, we do need more of them. 

http://www.nationalblackrepublicans.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.Black%20GOP%20Elected%20Officials&tp_preview=true&x=6472543

[rbt48]

Thanks for the website link.  Fully agree with you.