REPORTING FROM CHARLOTTE

As the Democrats were convening in Charlotte to re-nominate President Obama, the Mitt Romney campaign announced the formation of a Black Leadership Council consisting of nearly 20 African-Americans.

The Romney campaign came to Charlotte, just a few blocks from the Democratic National Convention, along with several of the members of the leadership council. 

“I am proud to have the endorsements of so many leaders in the Black community,” Romney said in a statement. 

“They know all too well that the economic downturn that has continued to hammer our country has been even more devastating for Black Americans,” the Romney statement said. “Together, we will work to end that downturn, and we will not rest until all Americans have the jobs they need, the quality education they are owed and the opportunities they deserve.”

The leadership council has three chairs, the campaign said. They are South Carolina Congressman Tim Scott, Florida Lieutenant Gov. Jennifer Carroll and Allen West, a congressman from Florida.

“Mitt Romney is a man who has the experience and understands how the economy works and how to create jobs,” Carroll said in a statement. “With Black unemployment at 14 percent, Mitt Romney's job creating experience is exactly what we need to turn the economy around.”

While some of the members of the council issued formal statements, some came to Charlotte to attend a press conference hosted by Romney’s campaign.

“I feel very excited about this,” said Stefani Carter, a Texas state representative who is one of the members of the council, in an interview with BET.com. “I’m thrilled to talk to people about how Gov. Romney will turn our economy around and how he will deal with issues from the economy to job creation.”

Carter, who represents a district that includes the north side of Dallas and its suburbs, said that part of her mission was to talk to voters “about why we’re worse off than we were four years ago.”

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(Photo: Courtesy of MittRomney.com)