By Raffi Hamparian / ANCA National Board Member
Do you have more than one friend who is registered to
vote? If your answer is yes, then you are a political
power-broker. In our America today, more and more elections are being
decided by smaller and smaller margins. That goes for mayoral contests, state
legislative races and, as you have seen, for Congressional elections and even
the race for the White House.
Just ask Todd Thomsen who defeated Darrel Nemecek, by a
grand total of two votes, in their 2006 race for a seat in the Oklahoma State
House (25th District). The exact margin of victory – the two votes –
represented 0.020846% of the total votes cast in the election, which was 9,594.
The simple truth is that two people, you and your
registered voter friend for example, could have sent Mr. Nemecek to the
Oklahoma legislature and not the other way around. That is a lot of power for
two people to have, but that is the power our democracy gives you, to your
registered voter friend, and really, to all of us.
The history of razor close elections in the United States
is the stuff of legend. Consider the Bush/Gore race in Florida in 2000 that
came down to 537 votes out of a total of 5,962,657, and was ultimately decided
by the U.S. Supreme Court. Or consider the lesser known fact that only 174
votes out of a total of 677,944 cast helped former President Theodore Roosevelt
defeat Woodrow Wilson in the California presidential primary of 1912.
All of these examples, from Todd Thomsen in Oklahoma to
Theodore Roosevelt’s razor thin victory in California, are clear evidence that
close elections happen. I believe close elections will continue on pace,
especially with American voters becoming more evenly divided between their
visions of how our nation should be governed. This largely even split between
the American electorate provides Armenian American voters powerful leverage to
play a decisive role, in local, state and federal races during the 2012
elections cycle. As a community, we represent the full spectrum of American
political thought, but – when Armenian issues are concerned – Armenian American
voters have shown a truly remarkable willingness to cross party lines to back
candidates who support our issues.
Read more. . .
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ANCA Election Guide 2012
Review the ANCA Position on the Presidential race &
Congressional races in your area.
>> OBAMA V. ROMNEY: The ANCA Withholds Endorsement
in U.S. Presidential Race. Learn why...
________________________________________
>> Where do your Senators & Representative
stand on Armenian American concerns? Check out the ANCA Congressional
Report Cards
________________________________________
>> Just want to know who the ANCA is supporting?
Here's the full ANCA Congressional endorsement list.
________________________________________
>> Congressional districts changed after the 2010
Census.
Click here and find the candidates running in your area.
________________________________________
>> Check out expanded ANCA Endorsement coverage in
The Armenian Weekly and Asbarez.
________________________________________
ANCA Throws Community's Electoral Support Behind Over 140
House and Senate Candidates with Proven Track Records on Armenian American
Issues
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has
thrown the Armenian American community's political and electoral strength
behind House and Senate candidates from across more than 30 states with proven
track records of support on issues of special concern to both Armenian
Americans and friends of Armenia.
"We are, once again, gratified to offer our
Congressional endorsements as a resource to help Armenian American voters make
informed decisions at the ballot box on November 6th," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "With so many Senate and House races being hotly
contested, we encourage all Armenian Americans to go to the polls fully armed
with all the facts about each candidate's words and - more importantly - their
real-world actions on Armenian American issues."
The ANCA endorsements are based primarily on ANCA
Congressional Report Cards, a detailed review of each incumbent's record across
a broad range of Armenian American issues. These Report Cards, prepared in
consultation with ANCA Regional offices and local ANCs across the country,
cover issues ranging from securing a just resolution of the Armenian Genocide
and forcing Turkey's return of Armenian and other Christian religious
properties, to strengthening U.S.-Armenia relations, defending Nagorno
Karabakh's independence, and increasing U.S. aid and trade levels with Armenia.
Among the grading criteria were each Member's willingness
to advance pro-Armenian American legislative initiatives (resolutions, letters,
etc.), including the Armenian Genocide Resolution, the Return of Churches
Resolution, and pro-Armenian provisions of the foreign aid bill, as well as
their support for Nagorno Karabakh. Other factors include their membership in
the Armenian Caucus, attendance at Armenian civic and community events, and their
support for human rights issues related to Darfur and Cyprus.
The 2012 ANCA Report Cards include:
* A point-by-point analysis of each incumbent’s support
on key legislation, Congressional “Dear Colleague” letters, participation and
leadership in initiatives and events held in the nation’s capital and in local
communities.
* Congressional Notes highlighting key initiatives taken
by individual House and Senate Members - from Congressional speeches to other
undertakings of special concern to the Armenian American community.
* A detailed accounting of Turkish and Azerbaijani
Government lobby efforts targeting Senators and Representatives during the
112th Congress, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice Foreign Agent
Registration division (www.fara.gov).
Click here to review the ANCA Congressional Report Cards
for candidates running in your area and across the country.
Click here to review of the list of ANCA Endorsed
Candidates
________________________________________
________________________________________
Published by the Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918, Fax: (202) 775-5648, E-mail:
anca@anca.org, Web: www.anca.org
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