Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick’s Troubled Son could affect Her Race
By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer
DETROIT (July 30, 2008) – In a city like Detroit, which is facing record unemployment rates, rapid home foreclosures and decreased city services, the last thing Motor City voters should consider is sending a rookie to Washington to watch their backs. But as the race for Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick’s seat heats up, it’s becoming clear that her troubled son, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, has opened the door for the longtime congresswoman’s rivals to overtake her in the race to Capitol Hill.
As a native Detroiter who has watched and waited for Motown’s comeback, I realize the only folks who have been able to come to the city’s rescue in recent years have been Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D) and the “Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus,” Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.).
So on Tuesday, when I read in The Detroit News that Kilpatrick is holding only a razor-thin lead over her two challengers, I was shocked. Kilpatrick has represented the 13 Congressional District for six terms. Still, according to a poll of voters in her district, she leads her opponents, former state Rep. Mary Waters, by 4 percent and state Sen. Martha Scott by 9 percent.
The survey conducted by EPIC-MRA has an error margin of 5 points, so the incumbent has to be concerned. I believe the closeness of the race is related to the problems her son, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, is facing.
The mayor is under indictment for perjury and other felony charges.
While the Kilpatricks are related by blood, their political accomplishments or failures should not be lumped together. Detroit can’t afford to lose the power and influence of a woman, only the second African-American woman and only Michigan Democrat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
This appointment has given her the clout to secured more than a half-billion dollars for statewide improvements; more than $145 million for Detroit Department of Transportation; $4 million for education; and $18 million in mortgage loans.
I would hope that a city with struggling public schools, fleeing grocery store chains, and no retail shopping malls folks would think long and hard about the plight of their member in Congress with the best shot to bring funding for their schools, healthcare and transportation.
Carolyn Kilpatrick, like most other elected officials might not be perfect, but during these troubling times in her district and throughout the state, her constituents need a member with working knowledge of Washington, experience and seniority.
She is the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus and has pounded her challengers in two debates in as many weeks, asking Waters and Scott how many members are on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee; what department is the largest part of the federal budget; and how many federal departments there are? Neither of Kilpatrick’s opponents could answer these questions, proving they clearly aren’t aware of what’s at stake.
I’m sure Waters and Scott could eventually get up to speed, but the question is can the folks in the 13th district afford to wait.
How do you allow comments like jackbowan’s to get pass your filters???
I can’t believe the prior 2 comments but I will say although the Kilpatricks are related by blood it’s obvious they are conducting thier business lives in very different ways….Good Luck Ms. Kilpatrick,continue to pray for your son
Unfortunately even though she is a much more respectable, honorable and worthy politician than her son, she will be judged to a certain extent according to his misdeeds as major of Detroit; which I understand would be shameful to any mother.
hmm.. thank you very much. usefull information
Pamela, I truly respect you as a political pundit; however you have it totally wrong about this woman. She has done practically nothing for this city in the 14 years that they stole this seat in Washington from Barbara Rose Collins. She is just as bad as the son, and her Ghetto behavior and demeanor proves just that. I am 100% Detroit, I have a degree, 22 yr professional employment background and a grass roots activist. The Kilpatrick’s have been in bed and married to the white power elite in this region for quite some time. As you see, the daddy is right in the middle of several of these scandals and the mama condones the behavior. You have no clue as to what really is going on in this City. The Kilpatricks are married and in bed with the powerful and elite sinister ministers. they run around like a cartel so many people are afraid of them so they don’t speak out. Culturally they have murdered us in Detroit. We can’t stand Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick and I wouldn’t send her back to Washington if she was the last choice. Peace!!!
so detroit, i just have a feeling that what you say is true, this is a shame. but it sounds as if those who they have laid with are now about
to destroy! what is it that momma said about being
careful regarding the company that you keep? or
is this just another example of black on black
crime, let us not forget willie’s role!
“As a native Detroiter who has watched and waited for Motown’s comeback…”
Watching and waiting will not create wealth. The residents of Detroit have gotten what they deserve.
Why is it that China, a previously poverty stricken country, has in only 30 years become the world’s 4th largest economy? I will give you a hint, they did not sit around “watching” and “waiting” for things to get better. Did the Chinese get ahead by getting welfare handouts from the west? No, they built everything from the ground up. They provided value for value. Detroit sucks because it is filled with criminals and moochers.
I hope Kilpatrick loses; less influence in Washington will equal fewer of MY dollars being sent to support the degenerates in Detroit.
I don’t know anything about detroit, but as a african american, we must be very very careful in how we handle power, One of the reason’s why barack is having a hard time is because the white man is afraid to turn over power to A BLACK MAN, regardless of their wrong doing they know how to cover themselve, they are old at the game, and you have to wake up pretty early in the morning to beat them in their wrong doing, Now when a black person decide’s to do wrong, for some reason they forget that our people are hoping and praying that they don’t do anything to shame our race.
And for some reason they fall short of their commitment to their office and their people, The young man should step down from his office gracefully, I have seen him on tv and he know’s he’s did wrong, so he need’s to step down and allow someone to take office that truly want’s to make a change in detroit, and race has nothing to do with it, wrong is wrong , and beside it’s a season for change, i pray that GOD WILL PUT SOMEONE IN THAT POSITION THAT WILL LIVE UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. *PROPHETESS*
Is she smiling?
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hello Detroit:
This entired ordeal:
lt’s may be witch hunt, just to bring he’s and
his mother’s down. Mayors kilpatrick shouldn’t
have known better,dirty politics doesn’t pay off.
lt’s only bring you down.He should have known
that the Camera and Recording is on him at all
time,and snakes are willing to sit him up.
black folks, he trusted will sell him out
for small amount of money even a dollars.
For real,they will smile in your face all time they’re trying to take your place.
l say to Mr. Mayor’s lf you walk a straight and
narrow past,no fatal traps will entering in your past, you will not tripped
on plots and stumble blocks that enter in your past.whats, l’m
saying is just be right, and do the right things,, and when conspiracy come against you, you will overcome them with the help of
God.
God bless Mr.Mayor’s
I’ve lived in a suburb of Detroit my entire life and the city is a joke! Any time I’ve traveled outside of Michigan people act as if Detroit is the new Compton. Well it kind of it, maybe not to that degree but there are parts of Detroit I wouldn’t get out of my car even if it was on fire. There are entire neighborhoods of abandoned houses-NEIGHBORHOODS-used as drug houses, they rape chicks there, whatever. The city is a mess and it has been for years. I just can’t understand why this idiot hasn’t stepped down yet.
Chels,
I can not imagine entire neighborhoods of abandoned houses. It must be pretty bad if you would not leave a burning car! I’ve lived in several cities growing up, in college and now as an adult and I have never seen anything like that.
He’s handsome. I just saw his profile with lots of sexy pics on the FREE and HOT celebrity&millionaire dating site called ‘+++_______ http://billionaireromance.com ______+++” where lots of celebs and wealthy men seek love&Romance.
Even though the ballots are well past in and she pulled her self to stay as our Rep., she got those votes because the people who voted for her had common sense. A person with common sense knows that when a person in higher authority has a son in a position not quite like theirs and they f***** up (excuse my french) big time, you don’t suddenly take it on the mother and say “That’s probably where he gets it from” when she has done a lot of good things before, while, and even after her son screwed up. So get real PLEASE people