Dems Court Black Voters

The Democratic Party is spending $1.25 million in Florida this year as part of an effort to get black voters to turn out for Al Gore.

While the party won't say how much it is spending nationally, the Florida total is more than a third of the roughly $3 million that the party spent nationally on black turnout four years ago, Democratic officials said.

The Democrats hope the Florida spending, which is more than double the party's comparable 1996 total there, will help spur a record turnout in the crucial state among blacks, who usually vote overwhelmingly for Democrats.

Ambitious and expensive turnout efforts also are under way in other targeted states including Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, party officials said Tuesday.

At a meeting over the weekend, the committee decided to commit the money to target black voter turnout in certain key states, suspending advertising in some other states, officials said.

For example, the party is buying almost $1 million worth of advertising in Florida, where Gore's campaign is focusing its hopes in a close race against George W. Bush.

Among the states targeted by the party for the turnout drive are: Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania, officials said.

The money will be spent on canvassing for votes door to door, on the radio, on television and in newspapers, through phone banks and even Internet chat rooms.

"It's a very close election and there are very critical issues at stake for African-American families and all families," said Gore spokesman Doug Hattaway.

At one point, the Gore campaign had a wide list of targeted states, including Southern states like Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina. But that list has narrowed to concentrate resources on crucial electoral vote prizes.

"We're sensing good enthusiasm in the African-American community," said Fred Humphries, political director at the Democratic National Committee.

Some black leaders are concerned that the turnout efforts are being narrowed to the key states by the Gore campaign.

"I feel very uncomfortable that very large numbers will be left out of the campaign because a decision has been made not to target their states," said Rep. Charles Rangel, a Democrat from New York. "But the job of the DNC is not to please me, but to get Gore and (Joseph) Lieberman elected."

Nowhere is the concentrated effort more evident than in Florida, with 25 electoral votes.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson toured Florida for several days this month to encourage registration in a state where many blacks remain angry over Gov. Jeb Bush's efforts to roll back affirmative action. The governor is the brother of the GOP nominee.

"We're the Bush blocker state," said Florida Democratic chairman Bob Poe. "If the Gore campaign can win here, the electoral math for Bush gets very tough."