Endorsements from a counterweight to the Simkins PAC

The Guilford County Community PAC, a new political action committee that has filed a statement of organization with the county board of elections, presents itself as an alternative to the Simkins PAC.

The Guilford County Community PAC was founded by the Rev. Cardes Brown, pastor at New Light Missionary Baptist Church, president of the Greensboro NAACP and a recent defector from the Simkins PAC.

A flier obtained from Brown publicizes the new PAC's endorsements for Greensboro City Council and states, "Some of the Simkins PAC Greensboro City Council endorsements raise questions in our minds: What criterion was used to determine their endorsements? What service to the African-American community have they rendered?" The endorsement slate is signed by 12 "outstanding and well known citizens of our community," including Brown, Pulpit Forum President Rev. Gregory Headen, former Mayor Carolyn Allen, Nation of Islam Minister Willie Muhammad, the Rev. Howard Chubbs of Providence Baptist Church, and former Carolina Peacemaker Editor Bill Howard.

The endorsements are as follows:

• Yvonne Johnson for mayor;
• Robbie Perkins and Marikay Abuzuaiter for at-large (While there are three at-large seats on council, the PAC asks that black voters only vote for Perkins and Abuzuaiter to avoid diluting their votes in the final balloting.);
• "Dianne Bellamy-Small or Luther Falls Jr. (your choice)" for District 1;
• "Jim Kee or Nettie Coad (your choice)" for District 2;
• Neither candidate for District 3;
• Joel Landau for District 4; and
• Art Boyett for District 5.

The slate of candidates endorsed by the Guilford County Community PAC differs in some ways from those reported in The Rhinoceros Times to have received the Simkins PAC's nod.

The Simkins PAC is reportedly endorsing Perkins and Abuzuaiter for at-large, along with Nancy Vaughan.

The Simkins PAC is reportedly endorsing challenger Luther Falls Jr. over incumbent Dianne Bellamy-Small in District 1, and Jim Kee over Nettie Coad in the open District 2 race. Both are the only two majority-black districts in the city.

Incumbent Zack Matheny reportedly received the Simkins PAC's endorsement in District 3, and Wade received the nod in District 5. Aside from not endorsing the popular Bellamy-Small in District 1, the Simkins PAC's choice of Wade was perhaps the most controversial because of her role in removing former City Manager Mitchell Johnson.