Key Senate Victories include Reid, Kirk, Boxer, Schumer, and Mikulski
ANCA Played Key Role in Grimm’s Defeat of McMahon for U.S. House seat from New York City
WASHINGTON—Over 90 percent of the Congressional candidates backed by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) prevailed in yesterday’s hard-fought mid-term elections.
“We join with Armenian Americans from across the country in congratulating the winners of these elections from both parties, and look forward to working constructively with the new members and leaders of Congress,” said ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian. “We are especially proud of our community’s pivotal role in the outcome of several key races, including Mark Kirk’s victory in Illinois, Barbara Boxer’s win in California, Harry Reid’s triumph in Nevada, and, of course, Mike Grimm’s defeat of Representative Michael McMahon.”
Five out of the six Senators endorsed by the ANCA emerged victorious, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.). The only ANCA backed Senate candidate to lose was Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.), a perennial cosponsor of Armenian Genocide legislation.
On the House side, ANCA endorsed 158 candidates in 31 states. Of this total, 152 were incumbents, of which, as of 2:00 am on November 3rd, only seven were reported to have lost their re-election bids. Each of the six non-incumbents endorsed and backed by the ANCA won their elections, including, most notably Michael Grimm, who, with the energetic support of ANCA activists in New York, unseated Armenian Genocide Resolution opponent Rep. Michael McMahon (D-N.Y.).
Among the key winners were Congressman Eric Cantor (R-Va.), who will likely be the House Majority Leader, and Thaddeus McCotter, who is also set to remain in the Republican leadership. House Armenian Caucus CoChair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), who received an A+ rating and was endorsed by the ANCA, survived a strong challenge by Republican Anna Little.
Members of Congress who have worked against Armenian American priorities and were defeated, include: Reps. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), Solomon Ortiz (D-Texas), and John Spratt (D-S.C.). Rep. Gerry Connolly, who voted and spoke against the Armenian Genocide Resolution in committee this past March, remains in a tight race that appears headed
for a recount.
As a result of these elections, the Democratic majority in the Senate will narrow, and the U.S. House will shift from Democratic to Republican control, moving leadership of key committees, including Foreign Affairs and Appropriations, into the hands of GOP chairmen.
For a complete list of ANCA endorsed Senate and House candidates,
visit: http://anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1954 .
Unprecedented Armenian American Community and Campaign Outreach:
In dozens of states and hundreds of Congressional Districts across the United States in which ANCA endorsed candidates ran, the ANCA sent tens of thousands of customized email messages to Armenian American voters. These messages featured the ANCA grade for each candidate, news about whether the ANCA has endorsed their campaign, and a listing of ANCA records and ratings for their state’s full Congressional delegation.
The ANCA’s email campaign was complemented by tens of thousands of phone calls by both volunteers and automated phone systems to Armenian American voters, each with individualized messages about the importance of voting for ANCA-endorsed candidates.
The ANCA’s final push built upon months of voter registration campaigns and community education and empowerment programs. ANCA regional and local activists volunteered on campaigns and encouraged candidates to fill out the ANCA Candidate questionnaire.
A key element of this effort, as in years past, has been ANCA Congressional Report Cards, a detailed review and rating of the records of each Congressional incumbent on more than a dozen individual legislative initiatives of special concern to Armenian American voters.
ANCA activists in New Hampshire, and from across New England, played a central role in helping Republican Frank Guinta successfully unseat Congresswoman Carol Shea Porter (D-N.H.). Porter, who has actively opposed a number Armenian American legislative initiatives, including the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, was defeated by Guinta, 46 percent to 39 percent, with the active support of Armenian American voters and a coalition of others committed to human rights and humanitarian issues. In addition to Congressional Report Cards (Shea-Porter received an ANCA rating of “C” in 2010 and “F” in 2008) and the Congressional Candidate Questionnaires, which Guinta completed, the ANCA endorsed Guinta and rallied local voters with a 72-hour get-out-the vote-campaign that featured phone banking and targeted emails.
This is great news. But will these elections make any difference since nearly all of the people endorsed were already incumbents?
What about those “great” Armenian congresswomen Eshoo and Speier? They do next to nothing foor us.