GOP Fliers designed to trick black voters into voting for two Republican candidates.

GOP Fliers Apparently Were Part Of Strategy

Md. Tactics Similar To Ones in 2002

The six Trailways motorcoaches draped in Ehrlich and Steele campaign banners rumbled down Interstate 95 just before dawn on Election Day.

On board, 300 mostly poor African Americans from Philadelphia ate doughnuts, sipped coffee and prepared to spend the day at the Maryland polls. After an early morning greeting from Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s wife, Kendel, they would fan out in white vans across Prince George's County and inner-city Baltimore, armed with thousands of fliers that appeared to be designed to trick black Democrats into voting for the two Republican candidates.

The glossy fliers bore photos of black Democratic leaders on the front. Under the headline "Democratic Sample Ballot" were boxes checked in red for Ehrlich and Senate candidate Michael S. Steele, who were not identified as Republicans. Their names were followed by a long list of local Democratic candidates.

The glossy fliers in red, black and green -- colors that represent black empowerment -- featured pictures of County Executive Jack B. Johnson, former county executive Wayne K. Curry and former U.S. Senate candidate Kweisi Mfume, all Democrats, under the caption: "These are OUR Choices." In fact, none of the three endorsed Ehrlich, and only one, Curry, endorsed Steele. Some political analysts believe that disappointment over the fliers, part of a strategy to pull in critical black voters, cost both Ehrlich and Steele precious votes instead of adding to their support.


"They said we'd be passing out fliers and talking to some people," Preston said. The workers were not told, he said, that they would be helping Republicans.

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