From The New Democrat Magazine's "100 To Watch"

When Michigan State Rep. Kwame Kilpatrick discusses the Democrats' tradition as the "party of inclusion," he's referring not only to matters of race and class. For Kilpatrick, 30, a truly inclusive Democratic Party is one that encourages a broad diversity of policy views.

As an outspoken advocate of charter schools, he has occasionally crossed swords with his party's allies in the union movement, who remain suspicious of the concept. Kilpatrick, whose district is in the heart of Detroit, has also backed legislation aimed at restoring urban brownfields for economic development, allowing businesses greater regulatory flexibility to encourage job growth, and "a lot of different things that the liberal arm of our party does not support."

"I hate the status quo," he says. "I refuse to be part of the status quo. Whether it's traditional Democrat or traditional Republican, that's something that we have to get away from."

Too often, the rhetoric of the party's liberal spokesmen has struck Kilpatrick as exclusive rather than inclusive. Take charter schools, for instance. "When we take such a vicious stance on an issue like charter schools, we exclude the parents, students, teachers, and people who work in those schools and who have done a very good job," he says. "It's hurting us with voters."

Kilpatrick insists he's not anti-union or anti-teacher. "I was in the union. I taught school for four years in Detroit," he points out. Even unions are partnering with charter schools, and the outcome, he insists, doesn't have to harm public schools. "I think you can support traditional public education and support charter schools."

-- Erik Gunn