Mich. GOP taps `black Reagan'

Michigan Republicans have nominated William Lucas, a black, to runfor governor in the November general elections. But there's more toit than meets the eye.

The GOP choice of Wayne County executive Lucas, 58, to challengepopular incumbent Democrat James J. Blanchard is loaded with boldmessages from organized U.S. conservatives to the country's blackcivil rights leadership, including this memo: The ultraconservatives believe that black leaders such as OperationPUSH's Jesse L. Jackson, the NAACP's Benjamin L. Hooks, and the UrbanLeague's John Jacob do not speak for the majority of blacks when theydeal harshly with President Reagan's domestic and foreign policies.

They believe that at local or state levels, blacks will switchfrom the Democrats to the GOP when Republicans produce an attractivelocal Reaganite and color him black. After Lucas's Tuesday victory,Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young, a national Democratic leader,predicted a close race, but he called Lucas a man whose "philosophycan hardly be distinguished from that of President Reagan on mostissues." During the primary, Lucas had near excessive praise forReagan. The new conservative strategy includes mobilization of itsown black battalions in its war against the moderate and centristsupporters of the two major parties.

While blacks are among the sharpest critics of "Reaganomics,"Reagan recruiters have been busy corralling a few black scholars,ministers, and religious fundamentalists to support Reagan's war onaffirmative action, and what the right calls "Great Society giveaway"programs for the poor.

Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), an outspoken member of theCongressional Black Caucus, compares this strategy with SouthAfrica's: "Not only does South Africa arm black men to shoot downblack freedom fighters, it also recruits tribal leaders such as thepopular Zulu Chief Gatsha Buthelezi, to help defend (President P. W.)Botha."

"Keep in mind," Conyers continued, "Buthelezi says he is againstapartheid, but he ends up talking against sanctions. Buthelezi isprotected and sponsored by Botha - just like Lucas is sponsored byReagan and the ultraconservatives."

Concern about Lucas's backers is not limited to vocal blackDemocrats. That's why Republican Gov. William G. Milliken neverendorsed Lucas although he conceded that of all four GOPgubernatorial candidates, Lucas stood the best chance of winningWayne County (Detroit) against Blanchard.

Milliken, a moderate, told a Detroit newspaper that "one of myreal concerns is that he (Lucas) has attracted some of the hard-lineright." It is no secret that the hard-core right focused on Lucasfrom the moment he switched from the Democrats to the Republicans inMay of 1985. And Lucas showed a broad enough GOP appeal to win 35 ofMichigan's 83 counties, including Wayne.

However, the 20.7 per cent turnout was down 9 points from the1982 primary, and there was no great switch of blacks to the GOP.

But the conservatives believe that by November, color willoverwhelm common sense. Michigan's black Reagan will prevail, theyhope.