Republican Party faces hurdles in push to increase appeal to blacks

While these local boosters were African-American, missing from either group was an elected black office-holder to help Mr. Priebus deliver the party’s message.

As the GOP seeks to enlist black voters, who outnumbered Hispanics in the 2012 election, it faces a dearth of elected African-American officials who can stand as signs that blacks have a home in the GOP. Michigan is among the 39 states with no black Republican lawmaker on the state or federal level, while Georgia’s only African-American GOP lawmaker lost his primary.

Next month’s elections are all but certain to boost two Hispanic Republicans—Govs. Susana Martinez of New Mexico and Brian Sandoval of Nevada—giving them second terms and positioning them for higher office. And Congress already has at least seven Hispanic lawmakers.