Two things can be mutually exclusive:
When you say "Tariq used him to espoused their views", what exactly do you mean? You say it as if that's a bad thing.
He ran on a reparations platform and I don't see how any black person could not support that on some level. But with that being said looks, presentation, and money matters in politics and Marcel didn't fit the bill for now.
If anyone actually thought Marcel was going to beat a man who has been in congress for 30+years who has full endorsements from the president and money longer than train smoke then I have a bridge I want to sell you. He was going against a machine.