‘The last time I spoke at a convention, it turned out I was in the wrong place.’ Artur Davis spoke last night at what he now believes is the right venue for him: the Republican National Convention. It did not take him long to reconcile himself to Republicans angry that they were welcoming a man who had provided the official second in favour of Barack Obama’s candidacy at the Democratic Convention four years ago.
Davis has a most unusual personal story. Like most African Americans, he had been a Democrat all his life, and served in the House of Representatives for eight years until 2011. In 2010, he campaigned, unsuccessfully, for the Democrat nomination for Governor of Alabama, while also voting against Obamacare. He retired from the House in 2011 and then formally changed his party affiliation to the Republicans this year. His switch came at a time when his new party is struggling more than ever to appeal to black Americans.
A few months later, Davis found himself in a primetime speaking slot at the Republican Convention.
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