— In one of the tightest races in the state this year, Democratic County Executive Candidate Steve Stenger is facing a problem with a key part of his base: African Americans.

A group of Black Democrats said Wednesday they want nothing to do with their party’s nominee for St. Louis County Executive, announcing their support for Republican Rick Stream.

The Fannie Lou Hamer Democratic Coalition, a group formed by Black Democrats in the weeks after the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson exploded with racial division after the police shooting of Michael Brown, made the announcement in a post on Twitter.

The @FannieLouDems will support @teamrickstream for County Executive.

— FannieLouDems (@FannieLouDems) October 1, 2014

Stenger, a white Democrat, beat incumbent Charlie Dooley, an African American, in the August primary. During his campaign, Stenger touted the support of St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch. McCulloch, who is leading one of the investigations into Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot and killed Brown, has faced criticism of his objectivity and repeated calls to step aside.

State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, a Democrat who represents Ferguson in the General Assembly, said Black residents are telling her they are “tired of the status quo” within the Democratic Party.

“This is organic,” she said. “People on the ground — and I am every single day — they’re just like, ‘I’m not voting for Bob McCulloch or anybody who supports him.”

Stream, chairman of the Missouri House Budget Committee, used the endorsement to try to combat the perception pushed by Stenger in his recent television ad campaign that he is an “extreme” Republican. He called the support by Democrat a “repudiation” of that notion.

“I have worked across party lines year after year as Budget Chairman to balance our state budget during tough economic times while protecting programs that impact the most vulnerable children, women and citizens in our state,” Stream said. “I have worked with many elected Democrat officials to improve our schools, and restore or increase funding for Meals on Wheels, newborn screening services, services for women who are victims of sexual assault, and reading instruction for struggling school districts such as Normandy and others.”