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 was unsuccessful. Palm Beach, Duval County, there's a tremendous black

 population in Jacksonville and we have some good dedicated black

 Republicans over there, but only a handful.

 J.B.: Do you see more coming into the party or just staying where it is?

 Thomas: No, I think that it is going to stay pretty well like it is. I

 don't see anything that's going to entice them to come into the party.

 And you know, I think that the Democrats, particularly in north Florida,

 are so wrong about this and I think the blacks are wrong too, but both

 are still bought and sold in north Florida. Right here in this county

 and other counties across here, it's funny, you'd think that the Democrats

 would catch on. But some of the candidates, say in the county commission

 races and the sheriff's races and all buy some of the black votes. Some

 of the black votes were sold in the last election in this county two and

 three times. You know, it's ridiculous. And it is morally wrong to buy

 votes, and it is just as wrong to sell one. I don't know which is worse,

 but it still goes on. And the blacks make fun, I mean, the blacks laugh

 at the Democratic candidates for buying the votes, because when they go

 in the booth and close that curtain, who the hell knows how they vote.

 J.B.: I guess that makes it a risky business.

 Thomas: Yeah, but there is a lot of money spent on it. I'll tell you,

 there was several thousand dollars spent in this county in 1972 buying

 black votes and I know at least one candidate who really got taken. I

 mean, spent a lot of money and they didn't deliver.

 J.B.: Do you have anything else Walter?

 W.D.V.: No, I don't think so. I'm sort of run down. This is about what?

 Our seventh or eight interview today.

 Thomas: Is that right?

 J.B.: Fifth or sixth, somewhere in there.


From the Southern Oral History Program, #4007, Interview 4- 0 in the Southern Historical Collection,
UniversitY of North Carolina Library, Chapel Hill. FOR REFERENCE ONLY: PERMISSION TO
PUBLISH MUST BE REQUESTED. WARNING: MOST MANUSCRIPTS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.