He rewarded his black base with jobs and contracts. He campaigned as the true representative of the black community. Congressional Black Caucus members campaigned for him. White voters felt ignored or excluded. The issue of midnight basketball is a good example.
Whites find the very idea of the program offensive.
Factor in corruption, and the debate becomes racially explosive. The two St. Louis candidates had mirror-image political styles. Racial politics works if you can mobilize minority voters. That didn't happen on March 4. Bosley depicted Harmon as the candidate of the white establishment.