GOP candidate Daniels not writing off black vote

INDIANAPOLIS -- Mitch Daniels is courting Indiana's black vote in his campaign for governor.\nDaniels' advertising airs on radio stations targeted to black listeners, and he makes campaign appearances at black churches. His latest television ad shows him with black students at an urban school that he helped found.\nAll that might be expected if Daniels were a Democrat, but he isn't. Daniels -- formerly an Eli Lilly executive and budget director for President Bush -- is a Republican facing incumbent Gov. Joe Kernan, a Democrat.\nDaniels is making a more serious effort to reach black voters than many previous GOP candidates, said Amos Brown, a popular black radio personality. Daniels announced his plans for urban economic development on Brown's show.\nWhen asked what percentage of the black vote he realistically hopes to win, Daniels replied: "Double digits."\n"I simply hope to end the campaign with some confidence among African-American Hoosiers that I am committed to black progress and to racial harmony," he said.\nIndianapolis City-County Council President Rozelle Boyd, who is black, warned fellow Democrats not to be complacent.\n"The Republican Party would like to make inroads into the traditional black vote," she said. "I would strongly advise all of the Democratic candidates that we not take the black Democratic vote for granted."\nWith a close race forecast and a potential 353,000 black votes at stake, Kernan campaign officials are taking nothing for granted, said Campaign Manager Bernie Toon.\nThis past week's Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration in downtown Indianapolis gave both sides an opportunity to woo black voters. Both campaigns had booths at the Expo and both candidates have made appearances at the event.\nKernan scheduled at least one Black Expo event daily. On Friday, his campaign officials met with black business, church and government leaders from around the state.\nKernan said he hopes black voters consider his record, first as mayor of South Bend, then as lieutenant governor and governor.\n"The things that we're doing every day in state government, involving every community in the state -- small-business opportunities, health care, quality early learning and full-day kindergarten -- these are the things that will make a difference," Kernan said.\nBut the personal touch also can make a difference, said the Rev. T. Garrott Benjamin Jr., of Light of the World Christian Church.\nLast week, when his church hosted an ecumenical service at the Expo, Benjamin gently noted to about 1,000 worshippers that Daniels was there and Kernan was not.\n"We like to feel important," he said. "And you can believe, Mitch, that people are taking note of the fact that you are here"